El Dorado County officials are still seeking a suspect who shot a pet cat with what is suspected to have been a crossbow.
El Dorado County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call in Diamond Springs Dec. 20 and found a cat with a bolt, such as fired from a crossbow, lodged in its head.
The projectile apparently went in through an ear and did not break the skull, said Henry Brzezinski, Director of Animal Services for the county.
As a result, it was removed without further injury to the cat and veterinarians established a drain tube for fluid accumulations.
The cat is an young adult male tabby named Taz.
The drain tube was removed yesterday, Brzezinski said.
"The cat's recovering quite well," he said.
A suspect has not been identified, according to a release from the El Dorado Sheriff's Office.
"It definitely looks like a deliberate act," Brzezinski said.
As such, it could be prosecuted as felony animal cruelty or mutilation, with up to a $20,000 fine, he said.
Anyone with possible information on the crime is asked to call the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office or El Dorado County Animal Services.
PHOTO: Taz, a cat in Diamond Springs, was shot Dec. 20. Officials think the projectile was shot from a crossbow. This photo was taken before the item came out of the cat's ear. Photo courtesy El Dorado County Animal Services.
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