Hillsboro cat survives three bullets, continues ‘miraculous’ recovery

HIGHLAND COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - A cat named Duncan is alive after being shot three times.

He was found at the Oldaker State Wildlife Area in HIllsboro last week and is currently recovering in an animal hospital.

Not only had he been shot, vets also say he was partially frozen to the ground because of the cold temperatures. They don’t know where the cat came from and gave him the name only after finding him.

“It’s kind of a miracle he even made it that far,” said Dr. Gail Counts, veterinarian and owner of Shawnee Animal Clinic.

Two boys riding four-wheelers found Duncan.

“Found the cat, it was almost frozen to the ground,” Counts said. “Obviously had a head injury, couldn’t stand. “Was pretty nonresponsive.”

Counts says the staff could tell the cat had neurological issues.

“Its eyes were crossed,” she said. “It responded to us, but just barely. It was semi-comatose.”

Counts did an MRI and found the cat had been shot three times.

“There was shrapnel all along the path where the bullet had traced through there,” she said.

She says two of the wounds looked old because tissue formed around them but there was a fresh wound on the top of Duncan’s head that was bleeding.

Duncan didn’t have to go to surgery because, according to Counts, taking the bullets out would cause more damage.

She says Duncan is now healthy after a lot of IV treatments to remedy his dehydration.

“It’s responded remarkably well,” she said. “It can stand up now. In the beginning, when you’d touch his head, he’d hiss at you. But now it responds if you pet it.”

Counts says Duncan should be ready to be fostered or adopted in about a week.

He will be with Dee Dee’s Feline Angels and Friends as soon as he is ready.

The rescue has also been raising money for Duncan’s medical bills.

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