Rescuers spoke of their shock after saving a cat that was tied to a brick and left to die in Dubai.
The abandoned cat, which was curled up in a corner with its head resting on a dirty old feeding tray, was close to death when it was discovered in Dubai Investments Park on Monday.
Its paw was tightly wrapped in a strip of plastic connected to a brick.
The cat was found by a man who works in the area. He initially thought the animal was dead.
“Coming closer I saw he was still breathing and I lifted his head,” said Vaughn Hugo, 30, from South Africa.
“I took the rope off the paw, tried to give him water but he didn’t want to do anything.”
He asked a Facebook group for help and a rescuer arrived within minutes to take the cat to the vet.
“The cat couldn’t move,” said Alena Smirnova, 36, from Russia.
“I had to hold the head of the cat. It was not moving, so we put him into the box. He did not react, which is very rare for a stray cat.”
The cat was examined by the vet and was found to be severely dehydrated with a high fever, a broken tail and a bad infection in its mouth.
The vet said the first 24 hours were critical and gave the cat a slim chance of survival.
“I went back to the area today because I wanted to get more details,” Ms Smirnova said.
“But it seemed that yesterday the cat went to one of the warehouses and it was already in that condition.
“It seems the cat was tied yesterday. The reason for this is unknown.”
She said she hoped to rehome the cat if it survived.
This month a cat died after being shot with an air gun in Abu Dhabi, while others were wounded in an apparent spate of attacks.
Animal abuse is a crime in the UAE and carries heavy penalties.
Anyone found guilty of abusing or illegally hunting, buying or selling animals faces a fine of Dh200,000 ($54,460) and a one-year prison sentence under Federal Law 18, issued in 2016.
Members of the public can report possible cases of cruelty through the official Ministry of Climate Change and Environment portal.
One of the first cat cafes in the Middle East: in pictures
-
Ailuromania Cat Cafe in Dubai was one of the first establishments of its kind in the Middle East. The cafe, which opened in 2015, hosts shelter cats with the intention of sparking interest between felines and humans with a view to adoption. The cafe, which derives its name from the Greek for 'cat lover', is inspired by animal welfare cafes in the UK and South Korea. Reuters -
Ailuromania Cat Cafe's feline guests are also residents at a government-run animal shelter in Ras Al Khaimah. Reuters -
A moment for relaxation at the Ailuromania Cat Cafe in Dubai. Reuters -
Human and feline meet at the Ailuromania Cat Cafe, where customers also go to enjoy the company of cats when their circumstances mean they cannot keep them. Reuters -
It's been a hard day at the Ailuromania Cat Cafe in Dubai. Reuters -
Like other businesses in Dubai, Ailuromania Cat Cafe follows coronavirus regulations and capacity restrictions. Reuters -
Special attention for the owner of the Ailuromania Cat Cafe in Dubai. Reuters -
A worker feeds a cat at the Ailuromania Cat Cafe. Reuters -
“Anyone who is stressed just has to find a cat. All your stress will go away,” says Omnia Fareed, whose two cat-loving sisters Allaa and Iman started Ailuromania Cat Cafe after university. Reuters -
A cat is seen at the Ailuromania Cat Cafe in Dubai. Reuters -
A man finds himself the centre of attention at the Ailuromania Cat Cafe in Dubai. Reuters
