Cat Recovering After Being Shot With Crossbow By Neighbor

An orange tabby cat named Oliver is on the mend after being shot in the neck with a crossbow.

Eric Erickson from East Tawas, Michigan, returned home on July 15 to find Oliver on the front porch with an arrow jutting out of his head.

He rushed over to his beloved cat and was shocked to find him alive.

Oliver spent the next couple of days at the Tawas Animal Hospital before returning home with his dad.

Erickson started calling his neighbors to see if anyone knew what happened to his sweet boy. It turns out one of his neighbors was the culprit and she admitted it to Erickson over the phone.

She claimed “she shot the cat, with a crossbow, in defense of her own cats on July 11th, 2021,” Erickson told investigators.

The outraged dad took to social media to share his traumatic experience. He cannot believe Oliver survived and called him a “warrior” for making it on his own for four days before returning home.

The resilient cat is recovering and already seems to be back to his old self. Erickson posted an update on Facebook that said, “He’s got quite the bag of meds and I have to keep a close watch on him. He went straight for the food!”

Oliver has been an outdoor cat for many years, but his dad said, “He will be an indoor cat for now on for sure.”

An investigation conducted by Iosco County Sheriff’s Office led to a warrant being issued for the woman responsible. Taylor R. Shipman was charged with a felony for torturing an animal and faces up to four years in prison.

According to police, she turned herself in on July 26 and was released on a $10,000 PR bond.

Iosco County Humane Society stepped up to help by creating a fundraiser to help cover Oliver’s medical expenses. They also shared their feelings on the situation. “We are disgusted and angered like many others that know of this situation and something needs to be done! We at ICHS do not condone any type of animal cruelty especially to this magnitude. This is unacceptable. Oliver is a friendly gentle cat that is very loved by his owner.”

Erickson said he is grateful for everyone’s support and is happy to see there are “still good people” in the world.