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Cat recovering after being shot twice by arrows in Lake Stevens

LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — A tough kitty in Lake Stevens is recovering after being shot twice by hunting arrows.  One-year-old Hunter was shot in his two hind legs and has undergone multiple surgeries.  Now police are trying to find whoever did it.

Tina Olson Mercer told KIRO 7 that Hunter is an indoor and outdoor cat who comes home every night.

“He kind of thinks he’s a dog, I think. He’s out here and plays,” Tina said. “And whenever I can’t find him, I call his name and he just runs home.”

On Saturday night, Hunter didn’t come home when called.  And that had Tina and her two sons worrying.

Then, on Sunday night, one of her sons opened the garage door.

“My son came through the door and he (Hunter) was laying right here by the van,” she said. “I was upstairs and he said, ‘Mom, the cat.’ So, I was excited. Then he said, ‘It has an arrow in it.’ And I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.”

She thinks Hunter was likely shot in the greenbelt behind their house, where he has been known to roam.

A neighbor told her they got a tip that a child who lives nearby shot the arrows, and gave the tip to the Lake Stevens Police Department. No arrest has been made.

On Thursday, Tina was told that Hunter could come home.  He is now eating on his own and using the litter box.

“I feel really hopeful,” she said.  “Just from what we saw the night it happened to now, the change is amazing.”

Hunter is one tough cat, but his vet bills were quoted at more than $3,000.  And the bill will be higher after two surgeries.  But this evil act brought out the good in the community.

“When I went to go visit him the other night, I was told someone had volunteered to take care of the costs beyond the estimate,” Tina said.  “So amazing.”

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