Purple kitty may have been used as ‘chew toy’

An 8-week-old kitten in California will be starting the new year off with a whole new life after being brought to a San Jose animal shelter with deep puncture wounds and dyed purple fur.

A California animal shelter took in a tiny purple kitten only to realize that it had been a victim of abuse.

The exploratory surgery revealed that there was no infection in the kitten’s abdominal cavity, as feared, and that Smurf did not have any internal damage. Officials there called The 9 Lives Foundationand asked for assistance.

“I think there are people who find it amusing to take small, innocent animals and use them as play toys” Rudige said.

‘We want to make sure people don’t want him just because he’s purple, ‘ shelter director Monica Rudiger told CNN.

Smurf checked in at 1 pound, 10 ounces, with big green eyes and about 20 deep, canine puncture wounds.

Smurf has received offers of adoptions from all over the world – with Good Samaritans offering to fly him as far away as New York, Florida, Brazil and England. He ran a temperature of 105 degrees, Rudiger said.

“Smurf” will undergo surgery to fix his injuries. He’s making quick friends with Cherry, another cat, and they will placed in foster care next week together.

Since then, Smurf has been pampered with heated blankets and Gerber baby food, and doted on by staff and visitors, according to the shelter. She hopes it will bring attention to the problem of animal abuse, noting the shelter recently rescued two other ailing kittens.

An eight-week-old kitten that was dyed purple and badly injured when it was dropped off at the San Jose Animal Shelter earlier this week was on the road to recovery Thursday, according to the chief veterinarian of the 9 Lives Foundation.