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Puyallup officer rescues cat ‘in distress’ from backseat of car while investigating traffic warrant

Cat rescued in Puyallup

PUYALLUP, Wash. — A cat “barely responding to touch” was rescued from the backseat of a person’s car while they were being investigated for a traffic warrant this week in Puyallup.

On July 7, a Puyallup Police Department officer identified a person with a Fife traffic warrant near the Planet Fitness gym on River Road.

During his investigation, the officer spotted a cat who was panting in distress inside the person’s car.

“The cat barely responded to any touch, it had no access to food or water and the litter box in the backseat was saturated with urine and feces. The cat’s coat was clumped and contained feces on its leg,” wrote Puyallup police.

According to Puyallup PD, the responding officer is a cat lover and knew the cat required emergency medical attention.

Another Puyallup officer purchased water, food, a small bowl, and other supplies for the cat with his own money. The cat immediately drank the water and later began to eat wet food in the back of the officer’s patrol car.

The officer detained the person with the warrant and was later told that the warrant was not going to be served by Fife at that time. By then, the officer had discovered the cat in distress, so the person remained detained while the officer investigated the animal neglect. Eventually, the person was released, pending the neglect investigation, and the cat was taken to Sumner Animal Hospital.

“There is no victim too small! We are thankful for the swift efforts of our officers to essentially save this cats life,” Puyallup PD wrote.

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