Malaysian social media erupts in anger over cruelty towards painted cat, animal association offers reward

MALAYSIA: A X user by the name of @izzat_bashir, on Thursday (28 Sep), shared several distressing images and a video depicting a frail cat drenched in white paint.

The post swiftly gained traction on X social media platform, sparking an outpouring of indignation regarding the cruel treatment of the helpless feline.

In these alarming visuals, the unfortunate cat’s entire body is smothered in white paint, from its delicate head down to its tail.

The cat appears utterly debilitated and immobile, presumably exhausted from enduring such a horrendous ordeal.

Izzat, in a heartfelt message, expressed his dismay over this cruel act of cruelty, imploring individuals with no affection for animals to leave them be rather than subjecting them to harm.

Sapa sapa pon, kalau tak suka binatang, jangan la zalim. Buang la dia kat tempat lain ka apa ka. But jangan la buat aniaya mcm ni. Kesian. Haih aku tak sampai hati la. Anyway aku dah inform pihak berkenaan untuk uruskan. Haih. pic.twitter.com/l77iD3h02f

— Izzat 🐡💨 (@izzat_bashir) September 28, 2023

In a poignant plea, he stated, “Whoever you are, if you don’t harbor affection for animals, show restraint. Relocate them if you must, but refrain from inflicting such suffering. It’s heart-wrenching. I’ve taken the initiative to notify the relevant authorities about this situation.”

Subsequently, this distressing post went viral, prompting an outpouring of sympathy from countless netizens for the cat and vehement condemnation of the perpetrator behind this heinous act.

There is also a netizen who has offered suggestions on assisting the cat, including removing the paint and providing it with shelter and care.

In a subsequent post within the same X thread, Izzat offered an update indicating that the discovered cat had been relieved of its paint coat, yet it still exhibited signs of physical frailty.

Update, meow dah bersih lepas mandi cuma lemah sikit pic.twitter.com/HTN47y0Eci

— Izzat 🐡💨 (@izzat_bashir) September 29, 2023

Local animal NGO offers RM3,000 reward for help in identifying person who painted the cat

In a commendable response to this distressing incident, the local animal NGO, Persatuan Haiwan Malaysia – Malaysia Animal Association, has offered a cash reward of RM3,000 (US$637) for information leading to the identification and apprehension of the individual responsible for dousing the defenceless kitten in paint.

They emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the potential health risks posed to the cat by the toxic chemicals in the paint.

Witnesses to this inhumane act have been urged to step forward and report the incident through the Malaysia Animal Association hotline, +60105394749 (WhatsApp).

They have underscored the legal ramifications, citing Section 29 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which could result in a maximum prison sentence of three years and a hefty fine of RM100,000 (US$21,224) for those found guilty of causing harm to animals.

(Photo: Facebook/Persatuan Haiwan Malaysia-Malaysia Animal Association)