California Construction Crew Saves Impaled Cat

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Kitty learns the hard way that it’s not safe to play at construction sites.

An orange tabby named Johnny left his La Jolla, California home for his daily adventure only to find more that he’d bargained for. He jumped from a wall into an active construction site and was impaled on a metal rod.

Just after 9 a.m. last Thursday, construction crew members working on the residential project made an emergency call to report that they had found the cat stabbed through his right hind leg by a piece of rebar protruding from a piece of concrete at the job site. A few minutes later, an animal control officer arrived on the panicky scene to find 5-year old Johnny on his back, stuck on the post, and in a tremendous amount of pain. The officer couldn’t be sure how long the feline had been so painfully trapped, but he thought the injury appeared fresh.

The officer reviewed the situation and then immediately called her supervisor, who in turn contacted a veterinary technician; they both arrived at 9:40. Poor Johnny was thrashing in pain when they approached so they quickly administered a sedative and restrained the struggling cat to protect him from further injuries until the medication took effect.

Once Johnny had relaxed, they carefully lifted him off the bar, and bandaged his wounds. The cat’s owner, who lives next door to the construction site, was present during the rescue. Afterward, she and county animal-welfare staffers took him to a local animal hospital, where he underwent surgery and is expected to regain full use of his injured limb.

“We’re relieved Johnny is going to recover from his terrible ordeal,” Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson said.

19 thoughts on “California Construction Crew Saves Impaled Cat”

  1. oh my thank God his safe now… poor playful cat>> thanks to the workers who care enough to ask for help and rescue… 😛

  2. Horrible! I wonder when stupid people will learn to keep thier cats inside, away from danger! Why other people should pay for their irresponsibility??????????

  3. Only an irresponsible owner would allow their cat to roam freely. The average lifespan of a cat allowed to roam is 4 years. The average lifespan of an indoor cat is 14 years. People need to get a clue and take better care of their animals.

  4. Yet ANOTHER reason NOT to let your cat’s outdoors People~!!!!!!!!
    Glad he was rescued and will be okay~!

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