Shot Warminster Cat's Owner: 'He Brought Such Joy'

WARMINSTER, PA — Kelly Ashworth knew something was wrong when she pulled into the driveway Friday afternoon with two of her children. She saw the family cat, Bubba, an orange tabby who had been missing just an hour earlier.

But something wasn't right.

"He turned his head and tried to crawl to us, but was unable ... ," said Ashworth, of Warminster. "He was across the street from our house, which makes it worse because we think he was trying to get home for help."

At first Ashworth and her children — two of whom have special needs and one of whom had just gotten out of the hospital two hours earlier — thought Bubba had been hit by a car. But there were no broken bones, no blood, nothing that looked particularly out of the ordinary.

Ashworth drove with the 1 1/2-year-old orange tabby to the veterinarian's office. It was while driving that she noticed a small spot of blood on her hand. And it was at the pet hospital that she got the shocking news that Bubba had been shot.

He later died from his wounds.

Now, animal-welfare activists and police are trying to find the person who killed the cat Ashworth called "a wonderful and fun-filled addition to our pet-friendly family." The Bucks County SPCA is offering a $500 reward for information about who shot and killed Bubba.

The shooting happened in the area around Victoria Road and Henry Avenue in Warminster, according to the SPCA. Wednesday evening, the Warminster Township Police Department joined the effort, putting out an announcement that they're looking for leads in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Chief Humane Officer Nikki Thompson at 215-794-7425, Ext. 107, or the Warminster Police at 215-672-1000. Callers may also submit tips via the Crime Watch Tip link.

Ashworth said she racked up a four-figure veterinarian's bill in the effort to save Bubba's life. She's created a GoFundMe campaign to try to help defray those costs, saying that if there's any extra, it will be donated to the Bucks County SPCA.

But she says that her family, which is still home to dogs Maggie and Marley and cats Marbles and Benny, has lost much more than just money.

"Bubba was really an exceptional kitty," she said. "He would come to you when called, just like dogs do. He literally played fetch and was obsessed with drinking out of a tap faucet, loved playing with water and watching what water would do ... . He was all around the funniest and most unique cat I've ever seen."

"He made things fun," she said. "It's different now ... more quiet. More sad."

Watch a video of Bubba below:

Photo courtesy Bucks County SPCA