St. Pete Cat Recovering After Being Doused With Gas, Shot In Face

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- A 7-month old blonde tabby cat named Cain is slowly recovering after being doused with gasoline and shot in the face with an airsoft rifle on Thursday, Feb. 21.

Jennifer Reule, who lives off 46th Avenue North and 71st Street North, said when Cain came in from being outdoors, she immediately noticed that he was soaking wet and smelled strongly of gasoline. She and her husband went to give Cain a bath and discovered what appeared to be a bullet from an airsoft rifle stuck in his face near his whiskers. As they looked closer, they could see another bullet wound on the cat's head near his ear.

Reule filed an animal cruelty report with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office but there have been no arrests.

"I don't know what sick twisted guy or girl could hurt my baby," she said. "He's the sweetest cat you'll ever meet."

She said her husband, Stephen, has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years and has always had cats.

"Nothing like this has ever happened," she said.

She said she can only surmise that the culprit intended to set the cat on fire but Cain was able to get away.

"I'm so outraged right now. I know some people don't like animals but you don't have to hurt them," she said.

Fortunately, she said, the act of cruelty hasn't affected the cat's amiable personality.

"I'm grateful for that," she said. "He's acting as if nothing happened to him."

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