Cat rescued after impaling itself on rebar in Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) A cat has been treated for injuries after it was found impaled in Santa Cruz Saturday.

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter said an officer was sent to a cat rescue on Dake Avenue, and when he arrived, he found that a large orange tabby had impaled itself on rebar after it jumped over a fence. The officer said the cat was friendly and talkative.

The Santa Cruz Fire Department helped by cutting the rebar in half, and the cat was taken to an emergency veterinarian.

Because the cat had a microchip, the officer was able to contact the owner and meet them at the veterinarian clinic.

The shelter said the rebar missed all vital organs, and the cat, named Richard Parker, was able to be discharged. They said the owner reports that Richard is on painkillers and antibiotics, but he had "worn down all his teeth" trying to free himself.