Peaches The Cat Loses Fight For Life After Horrific Abuse, Abuser Sought

A cat was found in very bad shape in a couple’s Berkeley County, West Virginia, yard over a week ago. The tabby cat was little more than a kitten, but was in a desperate fight for her life, according to Your 4 State. The couple had no idea what had happened to her, only that she couldn’t walk and one of her eyes seemed to badly injured. They took the frightened kitten to the Berkeley County Humane Society, who in turn rushed her to a veterinarian. Authorities have taken to Facebook to plead with the public for information on her abuser(s).

Unfortunately, it became apparent by the veterinarian’s examination that this was no routine illness or injury such as being accidently hit by a car. From the medical examination, it appeared that the kitten had been shot in the face and eye with a BB gun and thrown out of a moving vehicle, possibly having internal injuries. But most concerning were the kitten’s paws — bloody and badly swollen, they appeared to be stuck together. Upon closer examination, it appeared that the kitten’s paws had been tied together with a zip tie, severely impairing circulation and making it impossible for the kitten to move far. If not found by the couple, she would have certainly died of dehydration in the sweltering Appalachian August heat. She was found on Rock Cliff Drive in Martinsburg, trying hard to make it home to her owner, Pam Craig, who said that her heart is broken at losing one of the cats that she views as “children.” It is unclear how long Peaches was missing until discovered, but Craig is devastated by the animal’s death.

“I want to bring to justice whoever did this. She didn’t deserve what was done to her, and she lost her life because of it.”

Peaches seemed to be doing much better after her paws were released and tended to, and she was even eating and using the litter box. It appeared for a week that hers may be a story of amazing triumph despite horrific abuse. Unfortunately, she was found dead Wednesday morning — suspected to be the result of internal bleeding when her tormentor threw her from the moving vehicle. Sometimes, in cases of liver lacerations or splenic injuries, bleeding may be slow or begin spontaneously after it begins to heal.

Peaches’ death was a tremendous blow to many area residents who were closely following her story and hoping to find justice for the kitten. The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding the person(s) responsible.

Anyone with any information on the kitten’s abuse and/or abuser is asked to call the Berkeley County Crime Solvers at 304-267-4999. Authorities are offering up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest of the perpetrator.

Unfortunately, as previously reported by the Inquisitr, cases of animal abuse are all too common. You can read about similar atrocities here and here.

[Photo by Berkeley County Humane Society]