A Phoenix man is sharing a video of his cat being allegedly attacked in hopes of catching the person responsible.
“It just took a turn for the worst,” said the cat’s owner Billey Bonecutter.
The video of the man with the cat near 19th Avenue and Camelback Road is too graphic to show.
“All of a sudden out of nowhere it’s a vicious attack,” said Bonecutter.
In the video, a man is seen playing with the cat for several minutes before wrapping it in a shirt. When the cat tried to get away, the man appears to hold him down and even hit him.
Bonecutter said he recognized his indoor/outdoor cat, Simon, when the video was shared in a neighborhood group.
His neighbor caught the attack from early Saturday morning on his back doorbell camera.
“He was sending screenshots — that’s when I initially saw that it was my cat,” said Bonecutter.
“I asked immediately — where’s Simon?” said Bonecutter.
Thankfully, Simon can be seen escaping, running away from the man.
Two days later, the cat is OK.
“Apparently, he took on Goliath and lived to tell the tale,” said Bonecutter.
The cat’s owner said he’s now taking action, sharing the video online and with Phoenix Police Department.
“Like any parent just wanting to protect his child,” said Bonecutter. “Simon is like a child to me. The claws were coming out.”
Bonecutter said he filled out a police report, and the Arizona Humane Society came by his home Monday.
ABC15 reached out to the organization and police.
Simon’s owner is hopeful that sharing his story will lead to someone recognizing the man in the video.
“He needs some help,” said Bonecutter. “I don’t think he needs to be on the street.”
