Feral cat shot and killed in Falls Township, Pennsylvania; SPCA offers $2,500 reward
A feral cat known to residents of the Pennwood Crossing mobile home park was shot and killed last week, prompting an investigation by the Bucks County SPCA.
Jimmy Rhoads, who lives in the community and regularly feeds the cats with his son, said he found the animal on Thursday.
"The cat was lying in the driveway, and first we thought it was sleeping," Rhoads said. "We went over to touch it and realized it was bleeding from its side."
X-rays confirmed the cat, named Mikey, had been shot. It died shortly afterward, according to SPCA officials.
"It's kind of messed up. It's not the cat's fault," Rhoads said.
Investigators went door-to-door in the neighborhood seeking information. Although Mikey was part of a feral cat colony, officials emphasized that harming such animals is illegal.
"It has its right to live. Whether you like it or not, it is protected," said Nikki Thompson, chief humane officer with the Bucks County SPCA.
Thompson acknowledged that not all residents are comfortable with feral cats near their homes. She said the colony is managed, and there are humane ways to deter the animals.
"Being that this is a managed colony, some of those deterrents - like maybe moth balls or different types of odors - may keep them away from your home," she said.
Some neighbors expressed frustration with the cats but condemned the violence.
"I don't mind, I just don't like the cat smell," said one resident who declined to be named.
"They shouldn't do it. I liked it when they were trapping them," he said.
The Bucks County SPCA is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Anyone with information is urged to contact the organization at 844-SPCA-TIP.
