Elvis Fistik (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office) and Patrick the cat after being shot between the eyes with a crossbow bolt (Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters)
A Georgia man will be spending a couple of years behind bars after he admitted to shooting a feral cat in the head with a crossbow, claiming he committed the heinous act because his wife has a feline allergy. A Fulton County Superior Court judge on Monday ordered Elvis Fistik to serve a term of two years in a state correctional facility for shooting the cat, who miraculously survived his injuries, records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Fistik pleaded guilty to two counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty in connection with shooting the aforementioned cat and at least one other feline that died.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office posted to its Facebook page a story about the cat, called “Patrick,” from the animal rescue organization that helped save his life.
Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters in March 2023 said that it received a “very disturbing video” from a veterinary clinic in Roswell, Georgia, showing a cat that appeared to have a dart stuck in its head. The organization spent more than a week setting up traps before they were able to catch the cat and soon learned that he had been shot directly between the eyes with an arrow.
“Patrick was found with an arrow lodged between his eyes, harmed by a heartless individual who intended to kill him,” the shelter wrote in the Facebook post. “We were also made aware of the fact that several other cats from this colony were found with arrows in their heads, and at least one other cat had passed and was buried.”
Remarkably, the arrow missed all the critical parts of the animal’s skull and he suffered no permanent damage to his brain or vision, the shelter said.
“We had to sedate him to get it removed. And fortunately, it did not injure the palate of his mouth, and he has made a full recovery,” Furkids founder and CEO Samantha Shelton said in an interview with Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB. “With the exception of maybe just being traumatized by the whole event. No indication he has suffered any permanent brain damage.”
Shelton told the station that she attended Fistik’s sentencing hearing on Monday where the now-convicted felon attempted to explain his actions to the court.
“He shared yesterday in court that the reason why he did this was his wife was allergic, and that is not an acceptable reason,” she told the station. “A lot of people have allergies to animals, but they don’t go around killing them with a bow and arrow.”
The shelter noted that Patrick has “no special needs” since the incident and they are currently accepting applications for those wishing to adopt him.
“He is neutered, healthy, and had his vaccines,” Shelton said. “We believe there is a home out there for him, but until that person comes forward, he is loved and respected here.”
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