Keep Your Cats Safe: Why South Jersey Pet Owners Must Bring Their Cats Inside

This week has been heartbreaking for South Jersey cat lovers.

A friend of mine recently had a clearly pregnant cat show up on her back porch. This poor baby was sweet, a tad scared, and obviously dumped by someone who didn’t want her anymore.

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My friend is doing everything she can to help, but not all cats are that lucky.

Disturbing Case of Animal Cruelty In Atlantic City

A 26-year-old Atlantic City resident named Edwin Sanabia was recently charged with 13 counts of animal cruelty.

According to reports, he’s accused of luring cats with food, then beating them with sticks, dragging them by their tails, and killing them. That’s before tossing their bodies in a dumpster.

It’s beyond horrifying.

As someone who has a cat myself, my baby boy Jasper, who rules my mom’s house where he now lives like a king, I can’t even begin to imagine someone hurting him like that.

• READ MORE: Terrified Puppy Caught In High Tide Rescued By NJ State Troopers

Sidebar: Jasper grew so attached to my mom’s cat that it was cruel to separate them, so now they’re permanent roommates, just the way they like it.

PETA Urges South Jersey Pet Owners To Keep Cats Indoors

PETA has now issued an urgent warning to cat owners in our area, pleading with us to keep our pets indoors, where they’re safe.

• READ MORE: Meet The Adorable New Baby Zebra At The Cape May Zoo

Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA’s Senior VP, put it bluntly: cats left outside can suffer in “heartbreaking and horrific ways.” And she’s right.

Our Pets And Strays Deserve Better

Whether it’s the sweet stray that finds a caring porch or beloved house cats like Jasper, our feline fur babies depend on us.

Please, if you have a cat, keep them inside. And if you see a stray in need, reach out to a local rescue or shelter. We can—and must—do better.