RSPCA appeal after woman spotted punching cat in face

RSPCA officers are appealing for information after a woman was seen punching her cat in the face in Sunderland.

The charity said witnesses to the incident on Sunday, July 15, said the woman repeatedly struck the pet because it was being noisy.

She was seen carrying a cat carrier while walking along a path leading from Coldstream Avenue, Carley Hill, towards the Aldi supermarket.

When she reached the end of the path, witnesses say they spotted her put the carrier on the ground and reach inside before repeatedly punching the cat.

Now the RSPCA is investigating and appealing for anyone who may have seen this woman at about 4pm.

The woman is described as in her early 20s with dark hair worn in a ponytail. She was wearing a blue crop top with denim shorts and possibly spoke with an Eastern European accent. The cat was in a fabric carrier that was either brown or black in colour.

RSPCA inspector Rowena Proctor, who is investigating, said: “This would have been a very distressing incident to witness and we appreciate the members of the public who reported this to us. There were numerous witnesses as it was in a very public place close to Aldi and The Mill pub.

“Witnesses said when they told the woman to stop she said she was only hitting the cat because the pet was being noisy. The woman then ran off with the poor cat. We are very concerned that the cat could be injuredandarenowappealingfor information so we can find the cat and check on their welfare.”

There was CCTV in the area, but unfortunately it does not cover the specific area the incident happened.