Sacramento woman says pet’s death part of broader cat abuse concerns in Sacramento
After cat’s death, Sacramento woman warns of what she says is a growing problem
OF NEXT WEEK. I’LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE REST OF THIS STORM SYSTEM. COMING UP, CECIL. THANK YOU. WE’RE HEARING FROM A SACRAMENTO WOMAN WHO IS CLAIMING REPEATED ANIMAL ABUSE IN HER OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. SHE SAYS HER CAT WAS KILLED. OTHER ANIMALS ARE BEING TARGETED. AS KCRA 3 NEWS CORTEZ REPORTS. THE WOMAN SAYS THIS GOES BEYOND JUST ONE CASE. HE WAS SUPER, SUPER FRIENDLY. HE WOULD GO UP TO ANYONE AND HE WAS VERY TRUSTING. THAT’S HOW NISSA ORTIZ REMEMBERS HER CAT CHUY, A FRIENDLY BLOND CAT KNOWN TO MANY AROUND HER APARTMENT COMPLEX. BASICALLY EVERYONE AROUND THE COMPLEX KNEW HIM. HE WOULD ROAM AROUND. NOW SHE’S SPEAKING OUT AFTER WHAT SHE SAYS HAPPENED TO HIM. I HAD WENT OUTSIDE. HE WAS KIND OF LIKE, JUST REALLY DISORIENTED, LOOKING AROUND EVERYWHERE. AND HE WAS DROOLING EVERYWHERE. THEY ENDED UP HAVING TO PUT HIM DOWN BECAUSE HIS BODY WAS JUST GIVING OUT. ORTIZ BELIEVES HER CHERISHED COMPANION MAY HAVE BEEN ABUSED, POSSIBLY POISONED. AFTER THAT HAD HAPPENED TWO DAYS LATER, ANOTHER CAT ENDED UP HAVING THE SAME SYMPTOMS, AND FROM THERE IT KIND OF JUST STARTED ESCALATING A LITTLE MORE. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, SHE SAYS, SHE’S BEEN DOCUMENTING WHAT SHE DESCRIBES AS KIDS AROUND HER AREA, TARGETING COMMUNITY CATS, THROWING ROCKS AT THE CATS, DRAGGING THEM, PICKING THEM UP BY THEIR NECKS, GRABBING THEIR TAILS. SHE SAYS. CATS HAVE BEEN CHASED, CORNERED AND IN SOME CASES, EVEN STABBED. NOW, SHE SAYS, FEWER CATS ARE BEING SEEN AROUND THE COMPLEX. BE ABOUT 6 TO 7 CATS. I DO KNOW ONE THAT WAS FROM THIS AREA THAT GOT POISONED. ORTIZ SAYS SHE’S REPORTED WHAT SHE’S SEEN, BUT CLAIMS SHE HASN’T GOTTEN THE RESPONSE SHE’S BEEN HOPING FOR. THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE MY VIDEOS DIDN’T CAPTURE THE KIDS ACTIVELY KILLING THE CATS OR POISONING THEM, THAT THERE WASN’T REALLY ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE, ORTIZ SAYS WHAT SHE HAS SEEN HAS GONE BEYOND JUST ONE INCIDENT AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN FURTHER. DID YOU FEEL THAT THE ABUSE GOT SO BAD THAT IT NEEDED TO GO UP TO THE COUNTY? YEAH, FOR SURE. SACRAMENTO DUNCAN CORTEZ, KCRA THREE NEWS. IN AN EMAIL SHARED WITH KCRA THREE N
Sacramento woman says pet’s death part of broader cat abuse concerns in Sacramento
After cat’s death, Sacramento woman warns of what she says is a growing problem
Updated: 10:25 PM PDT May 2, 2026
A Sacramento woman is speaking out after she says her cat died following suspected abuse at her apartment complex.Nissa Ortiz said her cat, Chewy, was well-known in the community for his friendly nature.“He would go up to anyone; he was very trusting,” she said.Ortiz said Chewy returned home disoriented and drooling and later had to be euthanized. She believes he may have been abused, possibly poisoned.She said the issue extends beyond her cat. For the past two years, Ortiz said she has documented what she describes as kids targeting community cats — including throwing rocks, dragging them, and picking them up by their necks.Ortiz shared photos with KCRA 3 that she says show injuries to other cats.She said some cats have been hurt or have disappeared.An email shared with KCRA 3 shows Sacramento County Animal Services says it is investigating the allegations.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
A Sacramento woman is speaking out after she says her cat died following suspected abuse at her apartment complex.
Nissa Ortiz said her cat, Chewy, was well-known in the community for his friendly nature.
“He would go up to anyone; he was very trusting,” she said.
Ortiz said Chewy returned home disoriented and drooling and later had to be euthanized. She believes he may have been abused, possibly poisoned.
She said the issue extends beyond her cat. For the past two years, Ortiz said she has documented what she describes as kids targeting community cats — including throwing rocks, dragging them, and picking them up by their necks.
Ortiz shared photos with KCRA 3 that she says show injuries to other cats.
She said some cats have been hurt or have disappeared.
An email shared with KCRA 3 shows Sacramento County Animal Services says it is investigating the allegations.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel