Family cat paralyzed after Crystal Lake shooting: 'There's a bullet in his spine'

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (WLS) — A northwest suburban family wants answers after their 5-year-old outdoor cat was shot in broad daylight and left paralyzed.

From frolicking feline trick-or-treating with the family, to “ferocious mountain lion” towering on tree limbs, Kylie Rodriguez’s cat Timmy lit up her world, until that light was nearly extinguished when the unthinkable happened last Saturday morning.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

“I just see him like dragging himself with his legs pulling behind,” Rodriguez said. “I… I mean it’s so sad.”

Timmy could be seen on Ring camera video walking normally at 9:37 a.m. By 10:57 a.m., just over an hour later, the injured cat can be seen dragging himself only by his front legs.

The family frantically found him when they got home that evening. A bloody zig-zag injury just above paralyzed legs. They went straight to the vet.

“I was honestly so shocked when they’re like, ‘there’s a bullet in his spine,'” Rodriguez said.

Timmy was shot.

“I just don’t know how somebody could be so disgusting to an innocent animal… how could you do that?” Rodriguez said.

Timmy joined the Rodriguez family just over a year ago after he came strolling through their backyard and never left.

“I always describe it as he adopted us,” Rodriguez said.

Now, his future is uncertain.

SEE ALSO | Woman, 61, stabs dog being walked by teen girl on Chicago’s NW Side, police say

The bullet that severed Timmy’s spine is still lodged inside and the Rodriguez family is waiting to see if a vet will be able to take it out. But they say the cat is a fighter.

“He’s a fighter…yeah,” Rodriguez said.

The family is offering a reward for information about what happened and set up a GoFundMe page for veterinary costs.

Crystal Lake Police said they are investigating, but so far there are no updates on who shot the cat in a populated neighborhood.

“Our kids play back there, you know?” Rodriguez said. “And someone is shooting a gun?”