BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A cat that was shot 13 times and still has the pellets inside of her is now in recovery thanks to the efforts of a Brevard County rescue.
The 5-month-old kitten, now named BB, has a bullet in her head, several near her spine, one near her heart and lungs, and three in her front legs -- one of which fractured a bone.
She was found near the corner of Grant Street and East University Boulevard in Melbourne but now she has a temporary home with the volunteers at Hope for Brevard. She arrived there Thursday from a local shelter.
"We believe this was caused by being shot by a shotgun. We can only hope that the monster that did this to her finds their punishment that is probably long over due," officials at HOPE for Brevard wrote in a Facebook post.
Photos and videos show the black-and-white feline stretching and curled up in bed with a little teddy bear.
Volunteer Tara Hawk said BB has a sweet disposition, despite all she's been through.
"She's a happy-go-lucky little girl. Skinny, but very loving," Hawk said. "She has a long road ahead of her to heal up."
The Brevard County Sheriff's Office confirmed deputies are investigating this as a case of animal cruelty, and have interviewed several people in the area where the cat was found. The crime is considered to be a felony, but so far no arrests have been made.
Hawk said she can't understand how anyone could hurt a poor defenseless animal, and worries if they could do that to a kitten, they could be violent with people, too.
"It's very scary to think people like that are out there," Hawk said.
These volunteers just hope BB's story of survival gets the attention it deserves.
"We're glad it's getting out and hope we can get some justice for her," Hawk said.
To find out how you can adopt BB, click here.
Volunteers at the Hope for Brevard cat rescue said what they really need are pine pellets since that's what they use for litter. They also need cat food because they are about to get a shipment of 50 cats rescued from Grand Bahama.
For details how to help or foster a Bahama cat, click here.