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Shooting Of Feral Cat In New Port Richey Horrifies Its Benefactors

Photo from Chris Hover

A 2-year-old male feral cat nicknamed Stripy recovers at the Animal Care Center in New Port Richey after being treated for a bullet wound.

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2009

Updated: 03/26/2009 03:43 pm

Chris Hover and his wife, Rowena, were concerned when the feral cat they called Stripy left a splotch of blood on their New Port Richey porch this week.

After Chris Hover trapped the injured animal and took it to a veterinarian Wednesday, he was startled to learn the cat likely had been shot.

"I was absolutely horrified," said Hover, who notified New Port Richey police.

Today, police said they were looking into the incident. A full report had not been completed.

Stripy is recovering at the Animal Care Center on Little Road. A veterinarian there told Chris Hover he found holes that appeared to be the entry and exit wounds of a small-caliber bullet in Stripy's jaw, along with metal fragments.

According to Hover, the bullet entered through the upper left portion of the cat's face and exited behind its lower right jaw. The veterinarian had to remove half of the cat's tongue, because the tissue had become necrotic.

The Hovers, who live in the 5800 block of Missouri Avenue, said they have a dozen indoor cats at home and regularly feed about six feral ones they've had neutered.

Stripy, a 2-year-old male brown-and-black tabby, is one of those regulars.

The couple supports the Feral Friends Network, an organization that supports trapping, neutering and releasing feral cats to control their population. Chris Hover said the cats are so territorial, they keep other feral cats out of the neighborhood.

Chris Hover works in the administrative office of the New Port Richey courthouse. He and his wife have lived in the neighborhood for about nine years and say they haven't heard any complaints about the cats from neighbors.

"I can't imagine who could've done this," he said.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at vkalfrin@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7800.

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