Kloof SPCA inspector watches in horror as cat thrown from moving vehicle

CHRISTMAS, a day of celebration for many, was marred when the Kloof and Highway SPCA’s trainee inspector, Brigitte Ferguson, witnessed a horrific act of animal cruelty on the M13.

Ferguson said the incident happened at about noon on 25 December.

“I saw a cat being thrown out of a car window behind me. Sadly, I could not tell which car it came from as my focus was on the cat. I immediately braked but, being in the fast lane, decided it was unsafe to stop.

“I drove up to the Pioneer Road turn off and went back down to the Richmond Road turn off and turned around to look for the cat, hoping I was mistaken and that he would not be there,” said a distraught Ferguson.

Shaken, Ferguson contacted an inspector at the Kloof and Highway SPCA who informed her that inspector Petros Simamane was en route.

“I slowly made my way up the M13 and spotted the cat lying in the fast lane, lifting his head up, unable to move. I pulled over to the side of the road where a concerned and kind gentleman had stopped as well. Along with the help of a third person, we stopped the traffic and I was able to run into the road where the cat was lying,” said Ferguson.

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She wrapped the cat in a towel in her vehicle and took it to the Kloof and Highway SPCA.

“He lay on the front seat, covered in blood and gasping for air. My heart broke. He didn’t take his eyes off of me the entire time. I gently placed my hand on him every few minutes to try and reassure him he was safe,” said Ferguson.

Inspector Simamane met her at the local animal shelter where it was decided that due to the severity of his injuries, the cat would be humanely euthanased.

“I held him, reassured him he was safe, as he purred and then drifted off to sleep peacefully while I was devastated, heartbroken and quietly sobbing and questioning the cruelty shown to this innocent being. Why would someone do this do a living, breathing animal? Why not drive to the Kloof and Highway SPCA and put him in one of our after-hour kennels, which is 3kms away from where he was thrown out the car like a piece of rubbish?” questioned Ferguson.

The Kloof and Highway SPCA’s manager, Barbara Patrick, thanked everyone involved who made sure the cat did not die alone or suffer a horrific death.

“Your support enables us to continue the fight against animal cruelty daily and makes sure that we will never, ever give up. Thank you for your support in 2019 and please continue to support us in 2020,” said Patrick.

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