Four Cats, Four Stories Of Abuse And Suffering

By Kathy Niver

CREATED Aug. 8, 2012

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Council Bluffs, IA - An abandoned blind cat is recovering and on pain medication after a surgery to remove an infected eye. The cat--known as Andre--was dumped near a nearby Iowa race track. He's eight to 10 years old.

Rescuers don't know who dumped the sick, severely underweight cat. Andre wandered into a pit area at Mid America Motorplex and people there gave him water and lunch meat. According to Tim Oehlerking: "It crushed my spirit when he came in...He drank a ton of water but wouldn't eat at first."

Tina Ainsworth with Catnip and Tails--the rescue group--describes Andre as "very loving and wants lots of attention. He follows your voice and loves to be with people."

The eye was so badly infected it was pushing out from its socket. The vet says he's probably been in a lot of pain for some time.

In June, another cat--a kitten now named Squints--was abandoned in a backpack in a dumpster in Council Bluffs. Squint also had surgery and lost an eye. He's living at a home in Papillion.

A third cat is recovering after being thrown an estimated 50 feet out of an apartment building at 67th and Maple. The Nebraska Humane Society's Pam Wiese tells KMTV Action 3 News, "The cat is still very stressed but has been moved to foster care so hopefully he will calm down and not be so scared."

In yet another incident, Robert K. Rogers is facing animal abuse charges after he reportedly put an older cat named Sweetpea in a pillowcase--and killed the cat with a shotgun.

If you'd like to foster Andre while he's recuperating, you must have a quiet home without other cats. Also, anyone wanting to help with the cost of the surgery or the food to help him gain weight can contact Catnip and Tails at 712-314-7669 or cherihalda@yahoo.com.

Reported by Kathy Sarantos Niver, kathy@action3news.com