A free-roaming cat is undergoing extensive medical treatment after reportedly being kicked and beaten with a baseball bat by two teenagers in East Toledo.
The Compassionate Village, a new animal rescue in Toledo, is caring for the orange adult male cat dubbed Freedom. The feline was transported to MedVet in Columbus on Monday for specialized treatment, according to the rescue’s Facebook posts.
A witness saw two male teenagers abusing the cat Thursday evening in the 900 block of Freedom Street, according to a Toledo police report. One teen was hitting the cat in the head with a baseball bat while the second was kicking the animal, the report shows.
The witness ran outside and yelled at the teens, who then fled. She then told police she had seen the same teens and other youth harassing animals in the neighborhood before.
Freedom suffered ocular damage and possible facial and jaw fractures. Because of an enlarged heart, the cat needs to be seen by a cardiologist before he can be sedated for X-rays of his skull and jaw, according to the rescue.
The cat is being kept comfortable with pain medication, is reportedly in good spirits, and is very friendly and affectionate, the rescue posted.
Donations toward Freedom’s care can be submitted through a fund-raiser on the rescue’s Facebook page or online at thecompassionatevillage.org.
First Published January 1, 2019, 12:17 a.m.
