KEIZER, Ore. (KOIN) — Ellie McClenny and her cat Colby Jack had a special bond. When her parents needed to spend many hours with her brother at a hospital, Ellie began feeling a separation anxiety.
A doctor recommended a cat, and Colby Jack fit perfectly with Ellie.
“He was soft. Every night he would sleep with me,” the 7-year-old said. His name? “He looked like Colby Jack cheese.”
Over the 4th of July, the family took a day trip. When they came home, Ellie’s brother noticed something was wrong with Colby Jack.
The cat was bleeding from the mouth. Their mother, Jill, rushed him to a vet clinic where X-rays revealed there was a bullet in the cat’s jaw.
“We were really kind of shocked,” Jill told KOIN 6 News. They made the tough decision to euthanize Colby Jack and Jill said the family’s anger didn’t come out unti later.
“I just hope someone could come out and be truthful and say what they need to say,” Jill said.
Ellie said it different;ly.
“It wasn’t very nice. You shouldn’t have done that. You really need to think of other people,” she said.
“I really miss him.”
