At the young age of 4 months, this female cat, named Mercy by her caregivers, has reason to distrust humans. Mercy still purrs when humans approach, in spite of being abandoned at birth and later adopted – only to be allegedly beaten and almost drowned by her new owner late Sunday night. The beating broke the kitten’s pelvis and severely and damaged her left eye.
A severely abused Mercy was put down Wednesday after doctors found her spine was broken.
"Her spine was just smashed," said Missoula Animal Control shelter attendant Barb Parker. "It only showed up on high resolution, but the vertebrae were just squished. He stomped her good and really hurt her back, so there was nothing to do."
The shelter adopted the kitten out only to see her returned this week after a brutal beating left her pelvis smashed and an eye filling with blood. The 4-month-old kitten's owner had allegedly tried to drown her in the toilet, and apparently had thrown the animal against the wall or stomped on its back, crushing the pelvis. Part of the cat's head was shaved.
Under investigation as a felony animal cruelty case, the bashing led to an outpouring of donations and outrage from cities across Montana and places as far away as Texas and Pennsylvania.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_2773652c-10f1-11df-9184-001cc4c03286.html
