Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte

A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.

The cat named Mellow had been shot, and the bullet shattered a bone in one of his legs.

The foster cat is now limping down the long road to recovery, displaying a shaven leg after surgery at Blue Pearl Animal Hospital.

Mellow has stitches following and the bullet — believed to be from a .22 — remains lodged in his body.

“Possibly he could have done more damage trying to remove the bullet, but he did say that it was a bullet,” said Walter Grohsky, Mellow’s foster owner.

Leah Park and Walter Grohsky regularly let their animals outside.

They use Air Tags to ensure they don’t scamper too far away, but Mellow was gone for two days before hobbling home.

“What kind of people are doing this? Evidently, we have someone like that right here in
our neighborhood,” said Park.

WINK News spoke to several residents in the area, many displaying complete shock at what had occurred.

“That’s despicable. I mean, I have a dog,” said neighbor Daniel Bobbish. “This neighborhood’s quiet, and we always see dogs and cats. We try to find out who owns them. We don’t shoot them.”

“Whoever did it was a deranged individual, and that in itself is disturbing to know that such a person would take that kind of action in this neighborhood,” said neighbor Susan James.

WINK News contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office regarding whether they have an animal abuse task force. They responded that deputies rely on animal control instead.

While Mellow steadily recovers, Grohsky and Park are left to worry.

“Our concern is that someone, obviously a neighbor, could look at an animal with a collar, a bow tie, collar on, and a reflective collar as well, and a tag, and aim a gun at him, a .22, and shoot him for no reason,” said Grohsky.

After WINK News contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office about Mellow, they wanted a report from Leah and Walter since a gun was involved.

The owners are offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who has information about what happened to Mellow.