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Cat survives being bound, doused with gas and burned in Indiana cornfield

Posted at 10:11 PM, Jan 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-13 08:29:14-05

UPDATE: Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 19-year-old Noah A. Riley of Crawfordsville for two counts of animal cruelty following the incident that involved a cat being set on fire near the Crawfordsville Airport. Riley told deputies that he had seen several posts on social media and decided to meet with authorities to get the issue resolved. During an interview, Riley admitted his involvement and was charged with one count of Animal Cruelty, Level 6 Felony and one count of Animal Cruelty, Class A Misdemeanor.

A juvenile was also interviewed for their involvement and the reports will be forwarded to the Montgomery County Prosecutors Office and the Montgomery County Probation Department for review.

Riley is currently incarcerated at the Montgomery County Jail and is being held on a $1000.00 cash bond.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Deputy Minor or Deputy Kirby at 765-362-3740.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ind. - Authorities are looking for whoever poured gasoline on a cat and set her on fire in an Indiana field Wednesday night, according to WXIN-TV.

Someone had bound the female cat with a rope and burned her in a cornfield near the Crawfordsville Municipal Airport, located about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis.

Retired firefighters Steve Wright said he was at home watching TV when he noticed a flame shoot up from the field about three to four feet high.

The cat’s paws were tied with rope, she was drenched in gasoline, and a type of firecracker had been laid on her, but it didn’t go off. Animal care workers think the cat survived because she was dropped in a puddle, which probably helped put out the fire.

Witness Steve Wright recalled seeing the cat's condition: “Very, very quiet. And it was moving slightly but being bound it couldn’t move much. And it was just the look in the eye of the kitten,” said Wright.

The cat is alert and receiving treatment at the Purdue Animal Hospital.

"Her ears are shriveled. Her fur is gone down to the skin," said Misha Anderson, Director of the Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County. “She landed in a mud puddle. So I think that slowed down the fire or at least dampened her fur which caused the only flames to be gasoline so all the fur is mostly cinched.”

Tonight, Crawfordsville authorities are looking for a small silver-colored SUV with a black fender.

The Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County is paying for the cat's medical expenses which are already nearing $1,000. If you'd like to help them with their medical expenses, click here. You can also stay up to date on the cat's recovery by visiting the League's Facebook page here. Anderson said Wright's neighbor, who also helped rescue the cat, has already requested to adopt the cat.