A MAN will face court in Kurri Kurri over allegedly causing serious injury to a paralyzed cat at the centre of a grassroots fundraiser that drew thousands earlier this month.
Police arrested a 58-year-old man at Cessnock Road on Thursday.
It will be alleged a boy saw the man swinging the cat by her tail and hitting her against a trailer on May 6.
The boy and his mother believed the cat had died but found the animal, who suffered a broken spine and legs, had returned to her kittens the next day.
The 58-year-old was charged with torture, beat and seriously injure an animal.
He will face court in Kurri Kurri on June 30.
The cat, dubbed Princess, is unlikely to ever walk again after she was injured within days of giving birth to a litter of kittens.
She has lost the use of her hind legs and requires manual help to excrete waste.
Sawyers Gully Animal Rescue Weston ultimately asked donors to stop sending money specifically for Princess’ care after they were overwhelmed with generosity.
The group received more than $10,000 in donations from 245 donors, including more than one contributing over $1000 to the animal’s support.
President Dee Walton told the Herald earlier in May the cat was unable to excrete waste herself and would likely never be re-homed.
“It’s just not something you can give up, she needs that lifelong commitment,” Mrs Walton said.
The group offered an update on Friday that scans showed “Princess is paralysed for life, she will never regain the use of her bladder and she will be prone to bladder infections”.
“The possibility of her living to the old age of 17 + is diminished,” the group told their followers.