A Northeast Portland woman returned home from a trip Thursday night to find her two cats had been stabbed.

Sarah Shapiro took one of the cats to DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital after picking up the cat, named Grand Theft Auto, and realizing her hands were covered in blood.

Grand Theft Auto remains in the hospital with serious abdominal wounds, hospital officials said. Shapiro brought in her other cat, Alibi, for examination and found the cat had also been hurt. Both cats required surgery.

The wounds, which DoveLewis veterinarian Jessica Casey described as "very unusual" looked to be the result of penetration with something long and sharp, like a knife.

"The severity of their wounds was not clear from the outside, but once we performed surgery we were concerned that they appeared to have been stabbed," Casey said in a DoveLewis press release. "Had they not been treated so quickly, both might have died."

Multnomah County Animal Services is investigating the incident. People with tips or similar experiences can call 503-988-7387.

DoveLewis officials warned pet owners to keep a close eye on their cats and check them regularly for wounds or injuries. Attack injuries involve a high risk of infection and internal tissue and organ damage.

- Jacy Marmaduke

503-221-8006

@jacymarmaduke