Investigation underway after 3 cats found beaten in Whatcom County

CUSTER, Wash. -- Whatcom County investigators are trying to figure out if someone in the town of Custer is responsible for several acts of animal cruelty. One cat was found beaten to death. Two others are recovering from serious injuries.

Katie Graves named her cat after Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, because she says he was a fighter from the beginning.

“I got him when he was a week old, he was found in a dumpster.”

Mr. Wilson is going to need his fighting spirit to recover from what happened this weekend. Katie says she let him outside her home early Saturday morning, something she had done many times before.

“Around 8, I went to bring him in and feed my dog, and he came up with his leg that was barely hanging on.”

She took him to the vet, who took x-rays and confirmed his leg had been broken.

“I figured he had gotten attacked by another animal. But he absolutely no puncture marks on him, so the vet ruled that out pretty quickly.”

Katie soon found out that her roommate’s cat Frigg had also been injured, and a neighbor’s cat had been found dead in the road.

“Three cats in one night, that’s kind of suspicious,” she says. “If it was one cat, accidents happen. But all three happening in a 12 hour period, something’s going on here.”

Katie and her roommate don’t have any idea who could have done this. But they say there are some vacant homes in the area, and they have seen squatters on occasion. They shared that information with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, who have now opened an investigation and started talking with neighbors.

Katie doesn’t want to think about what kind of person might be responsible for these beatings.

“Why? What did Wilson do to you? He’s an awesome cat, he loves everyone. There’s no reason to hurt him.”

She’s focusing on Wilson’s recovery now. But she says even when he’s better, she won’t feel comfortable letting him outside again.

“My roommate and I are looking for a new place, because we don’t want to live there anymore. It’s not safe for us, it’s not safe for our animals.”

Friends have set up a fundraising page, to help with the vet costs for Mr. Wilson’s recovery. You can find more information by clicking here.