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If You See a Cat With Purple Paws, Take it and Find Help Immediately

If You See a Cat With Purple Paws, Take it and Find Help Immediately

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While many cat owners do all kinds of things to pamper their feline, painting their paws purple isn’t one of them.

If you ever see a cat with purple paws, take it and find help IMMEDIATELY.

Keep reading to uncover the ugly truth behind purple paws.

Courtesy Naples Cat Alliance

Cruel Intentions

Megan Sorbara, a cat rescuer at Naples Cat Alliance, couldn’t believe her eyes when “Mr. Purple Paws” was brought to the shelter by Clewiston Animal Control.

Here’s the ugly truth: Cats with purple paws are used in dog fighting as “bait.”

Their paws are painted different colors, usually with a permanent marker, so that the spectators can bet on which cat will die first.

“Being in animal rescue, you hear and read about a lot of terrible things being done to poor innocent animals,” Sorbara wrote on Facebook.

“I consider myself pretty hardened to a lot of stuff. I have dealt with a lot of injured, emaciated, neglected and abused animals but this one really got to me,” explained Sorbara.

Sorbara was shocked when the victim of one of these gruesome crimes appeared at the shelter.

Courtesy Naples Cat Alliance

Sorbara explained, “Dog fighters use markers to color the white parts of cats and kittens so they can bet on which color will die first. They are ‘color-coded’ and then thrown to packs of dogs, while these sick barbarians place their bets. This is cruelty at its worst.”

This was what was going to happen to Mr. Purple if he had not been spotted in time and rescued.

Safe at Last

Mr. Purple Paws is one lucky cat!

He was able to escape the his abusers before any harm came to him (other than his purple paws).

When he arrived at the shelter, he seemed healthy.

His coat was shiny, he had a healthy weight, and didn’t have any injuries.

Sobrara says, ” I can only hope more were able to get away but my real hope is that the perpetrators of this heinous ‘sport’ be found and prosecuted.”

Despite everything he’s been through, Mr. Purple paws was a real sweetheart.

He was friendly, gentle, and playful!

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Mr. Purple Paws Finds a Furrever Home

The same day that animal control found Mr. Purple Paws, he was transferred to the shelter, cleaned up, and put up for adoption.

After a bath, the purple on his paws faded significantly, but the traces of his violent past were still there.

Mr. Purple Paws’s story touched everyone’s hearts.

One week after he arrived at the Naples Cat Alliance, he found his loving, furrever home.

The family that adopted him knew he needed an extra loving home.

They were committed to giving him the life he had always deserved.

Hopefully they renamed him!

Courtesy Naples Cat Alliance

The Real Message

Mr. Purple Paws had a happy ending, but other cats and kittens in his position suffer a cruel fate.

When people on the internet read his story, they were outraged by this brutal practice and the treatment of the cats who are bait.

“Anyone involved with any kind of animal fighting needs to be locked up for the rest of their lives,” one user wrote.

“They enjoy the blood-sport of watching animals in pain and suffering and being absolutely terrified and struggling for their lives. How dare they hurt these poor innocent animals! This is sick, barbaric, and brutal.”

Animal rescuers everywhere hope Mr. Purple Paws’s story brings awareness to how cats are abused by dog fighters and how to put a stop to it.

Keep reading to find out what YOU can do to prevent cats and kittens from ending up in the wrong hands.

How to Prevent Cats Being Used as Bait

There are steps you can take to make sure cats and kittens like Mr. Purple Paws never have to suffer from this fate.

  • NEVER give away free cats/kittens. ALWAYS charge a rehoming fee of at least $20 for kittens you adopt out.
  • ALWAYS report suspicious behavior to law enforcement and your local animal welfare units. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
  • Participate in TNR programs (trap neuter return). You can volunteer, spread awareness, fundraise, or donate. The goal is to spay/neuter as many cats as possible to stop the vicious cycle of overpopulation and prevent helpless kittens from ending up in the wrong hands.
  • Spay/neuter adoptable cats/kittens before rehoming them. You cannot trust people to do this on their own.
  • Ask for vet references from people who are interested in adopting your cats/kittens.
  • Spay/neuter your own cats! Cats that are not spayed/neutered are more likely to run away.
  • Keep your cats indoors and encourage others to do the same.
  • Be a community leader. Organize groups that pressure local governments to pass legislation that cracks down on animal cruelty with heavier punishment.
  • Take it to social media. Share this article to educate people on the cruelty that happens in their own communities. Everyone has a moral responsibility to do this.

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Edith

Monday 7th of September 2020

Yes I agree with all of you that each and everyone of them these Bastards need to be brought to Justice and Punished for Criminal Animal Abuse. I don't understand if they know about these Dog Fighting Rings then Shut Them Down and Prosecute Them To The Fullest Extent Of The Law. It has Always Been A Forth Degree Felony For Animal Abuse But Was NEVER Enforced. Well Now Is The Time To Start!

Vicky MARTINEZ

Monday 1st of June 2020

They need to be used as bait internet dog fighting smear meat on them and let the dogs attack the idiots who do this to innocent animals let the researchers use them as test subjects to die as in untested drugs make it painful as possible

Sophia Hernandez

Monday 1st of June 2020

OMG how sad that a human could use these cats as bait. How could you even watch as these poor defenseless cats fight for their lives. These people need to be brought to justice for their actions. Maybe take them and throw them for bait.

Sylvia Sullivan

Sunday 31st of May 2020

This is horrible! I hate animal abuse & just hope those who do this to our precious animals, is found & posecuted. It is now a crime punishable by law, thank heavens. It takes a sick mind to mistreat any animal.

Kate

Sunday 31st of May 2020

And so often the dogs are stigmatized and killed and the dog fighters get little or nothing. I say just shoot them. They are perverse and loathsome beings. I have heard about putting colors on cats used for bait I think. I want to ask what is wrong with these people but is there really an adequate answer. I am glad he got a new name because I have a hard time with animals named from horrid circumstances they come from as well as naming them after the devil or other evil things. I am happy that one cat got out and will have the life he deserves. I wish the dog fighters would get what they deserve as well.