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Cat Thrown Off Bridge With 16-Pound Rock Rescued
WSOC ^ | 12/29/2005 | AP

Posted on 12/29/2005 7:42:10 AM PST by HOTTIEBOY

Cat Thrown Off Bridge With 16-Pound Rock Rescued Firefighter Takes Cat Home To Daughter

POSTED: 7:13 am EST December 29, 2005

MISSOULA, Montana -- There has been a happy ending on what started as a case of animal cruelty.

Passers-by spotted the calico house cat Tuesday morning while crossing a footbridge by Montana’s icy Clark Fork River. They called for help, and Missoula firefighters responded. Firefighters lowered a boat onto the ice, and retrieved the soaking-wet cat.

Someone had put the animal in a cage, along with a rock weighing about 16 pounds, and tossed it over the bridge. But instead of landing in the water, the caged cat landed on the ice and bounced several times, coming to a stop in an icy puddle of slush.

It's unclear how long the cat had been there.

Despite its ordeal, one of the cat's rescuers said she was really friendly, and dined on leftover Christmas turkey at the firehouse.

One of the firefighters then took the vet-checked cat home to his daughter. They named their new pet "Lucky." Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: attemptedfelicide; cat; cats; kitty
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I posted this because I know there are allot of cat lovers in Freeper land.

I don't particularly adore cats, but whoever did this is about as low a form of life as there is. Take it to a shelter or just turn it loose so it will at least have a chance to fend for itself.

1 posted on 12/29/2005 7:42:11 AM PST by HOTTIEBOY
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To: HOTTIEBOY

> I don't particularly adore cats, but whoever did this is about as low a form of life as there is

Agree. I dislike cats, but that's no excuse for this kind of cruelty.

> Take it to a shelter or just turn it loose so it will at least have a chance to fend for itself.

Never "turn it loose" it into the wild to fend for itself. Have it humanely put down instead. Letting a cat into the wild allows it to go "Feral". When it goes Feral it becomes a predator at the near-top of its food-chain, with a devastating effect on wild native animals. Its progeny revert to ancient, nondomesticated cat ways. After a few generations they become quite dangerous.

In NZ and Oz, Feral Cats are a major pest. They probably are, too, in North America, except you may not notice it as much, given your landmass. You may never know how many species of native wildlife you may have lost.


2 posted on 12/29/2005 7:50:45 AM PST by DieHard the Hunter (I am the Chieftain of my Clan. I bow to nobody. Get out of my way.)
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To: HOTTIEBOY

Adopt the kitty. Jail the so-called owner for a LONG time. Animal cruelty isn't funny, it's sick.


3 posted on 12/29/2005 7:52:49 AM PST by Rightfootforward
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To: HOTTIEBOY

Thank God the cat was OK and has found a new loving home. Sickos who do something like this to a helpless animal really boil my blood.


4 posted on 12/29/2005 8:14:01 AM PST by sassbox (Merry Christmas!)
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To: HOTTIEBOY; DieHard the Hunter

Please do not just turn your cats loose in the wild.

We live in the country. And in the last couple of months, we have had to kill at least 4 cats that city people dropped off in the country.

(The Humane Shelter no longer will pick up the animals. So they leave it to us to put the animals down in a "humane way." Usually a .22 in the back of the head.)


5 posted on 12/29/2005 8:14:18 AM PST by Mr. Brightside
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To: Slings and Arrows

One more ping.


6 posted on 12/29/2005 8:15:43 AM PST by Jet Jaguar
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To: Mr. Brightside; DieHard the Hunter
When I say turn it loose, I am thinking that it is better than abusing it.

I can't help but think about a dog that a neighbor of mine had tied to a tree. It was the middle of July and that dog was never given water. His ribs were showing. His bowl was always overturned. I never saw the people. That dog stayed tied to the tree all day with no water in 95 degree temperatures. And the creek was 10 yards away.
Finally one night I sneaked out there and cut his loose. He bolted for the creek and I haven't seen him since. My brother swears he lives with about 14 dogs on a farm down the road. i hope so.
7 posted on 12/29/2005 8:23:52 AM PST by HOTTIEBOY (If the enemy is in shooting range, so are you.)
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To: HOTTIEBOY

8 posted on 12/29/2005 8:25:42 AM PST by BureaucratusMaximus (The 2005 Chicago White Sox---World Series Champs---WOO! HOO!)
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To: Jet Jaguar; Slings and Arrows; Glenn; quantim; republicangel; Bahbah; Beaker; BADROTOFINGER; ...
Thanks for the ping. [It's OK, folks - happy ending.]


9 posted on 12/29/2005 8:34:17 AM PST by Slings and Arrows (I strongly condemn violence against adulterous gay cannibals.)
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To: BureaucratusMaximus

Chicago White Sox Suck


10 posted on 12/29/2005 8:36:54 AM PST by add925 (The Left = Xenophobes in Denial)
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To: HOTTIEBOY

> When I say turn it loose, I am thinking that it is better than abusing it.

It's sad, what people can do to animals. I agree with your sentiment: no animal should ever be abused. That was never God's intention.


11 posted on 12/29/2005 8:37:04 AM PST by DieHard the Hunter (I am the Chieftain of my Clan. I bow to nobody. Get out of my way.)
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To: add925

Chicago White Sox Suck

Yes don't they!



I feed 8 cats, four are mine and the others are my deck cats. I hope St. Francis has some rewards for me.


12 posted on 12/29/2005 8:40:53 AM PST by angcat
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To: HOTTIEBOY; Slings and Arrows
I would be glad to end the breathing of a person who did a thing like this.

Perhaps a good way to do it would be with about a 100 pound rock tied to his cowardly neck before we throw him into a river.

13 posted on 12/29/2005 8:41:05 AM PST by beyond the sea (If you need a really new idea ..................... read a really old book.)
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To: angcat; add925
Oh cmon...the dead cat pic was a sad attempt at humor.

And don't be bitter about my White Sox...they may not win another World Series in my lifetime...and I'm only 31. ;)

14 posted on 12/29/2005 8:46:06 AM PST by BureaucratusMaximus (The 2005 Chicago White Sox---World Series Champs---WOO! HOO!)
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To: Rightfootforward

The sorry excuse for a human who did this should be euthanized. I have no interest in seeing taxpayers shelling out tens of thousands of dollars a year to keep this scum in prison. The money would be better spent on veterinary care for abused animals and on spay/neuter programs.


15 posted on 12/29/2005 8:50:55 AM PST by GovernmentShrinker
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To: Mr. Brightside
Usually a .22 in the back of the head.)

That was unnecessary.

16 posted on 12/29/2005 8:54:35 AM PST by quantim (The Senate proves itself daily as the flagrant flaw in the Constitution.)
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To: angcat
I feed 8 cats, four are mine and the others are my deck cats. I hope St. Francis has some rewards for me.

My wife and you would be good friends. Its amazing how cats spread the word about a "soft touch" in the neighborhood. She is a cat magnet.

Wonder if cats have ESP ;^)

17 posted on 12/29/2005 8:56:07 AM PST by add925 (The Left = Xenophobes in Denial)
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To: HOTTIEBOY

I propose that should the reject responsible ever be found he or she should have a rock slightly greater than their own body weight tied to them. Then both miscreant and rock should be thrown off the same bridge - while the cat watches.


18 posted on 12/29/2005 8:56:58 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: BureaucratusMaximus

I know I am bitter, Bitter bitter bitter. I try to be a good sport! :)


19 posted on 12/29/2005 8:59:34 AM PST by angcat
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To: quantim

Sorry for the graphic (???) description.

Unfortunately, we do not have tranquilizers and painless leathal injections, last meal rights, etc. for the cats.

But that is life in the country.


20 posted on 12/29/2005 8:59:38 AM PST by Mr. Brightside
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