THOROLD, ONT.—A cat in southern Ontario is recovering from surgery after being shot multiple times by a crossbow — the kittens she was carrying, however, did not survive, an animal shelter said Friday.

Officials at the Lincoln County Humane Society in St. Catharines said the pregnant cat was shot at least four times in the abdomen with 16-centimetre-long darts from a crossbow earlier this week in nearby Thorold.

“We do not see cases like this often at all,” said executive director Kevin Strooband. “I would say it is pretty heinous. It’s calculated.”

The cat — named Cinnamon by humane society staff — was on an IV line Friday and being monitored for infection after surviving surgery, but none of her six unborn kittens survived.

The shelter got a call Tuesday afternoon from a concerned resident who saw the injured cat.

“When the animal control officer arrived he discovered it had been shot by some sort of arrow,” Strooband said. “He immediately took it to a vet in St. Catharines, where they took an X-ray to determine that the cat was pregnant with six kittens.”

The cat was then sent for a pregnant spay surgery.

“It’s a pretty basic surgery for a cat but there were four puncture marks that had to be repaired,” said Strooband.

After a checkup from the vet, Cinnamon was taken back to the shelter and is recovering there.

“Antibiotics had to be given because there was rust and other contaminants on the tip of the arrow that has made infection a second concern,” Strooband said.

Investigators are urging anyone who knows anything about the case to contact the humane society and they are following up on leads already.

Animal cruelty convictions under the Criminal Code carry either a maximum prison term of five years or a maximum fine of $10,000.

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Animal cruelty charges laid under the Ontario SPCA Act can lead to a fine of up to $60,000 and up to two years in jail as well as lifetime ban from owning animals.

Police are not yet involved in the case.