A 26-year-old man in the Netherlands could face nine months in prison after shooting at cats with a crossbow. Five cats were attacked, and one died after being hit in the eye.
Prosecutors asked for the prison sentence on Monday during a court hearing in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. The attacks took place between November 2025 and May 2026 and caused fear among local cat owners.
The man, identified as Yihui L., has admitted shooting at the cats.
The man told the court that he became angry with cats after one scratched him when he tried to pick it up. He had been trying to attract cats with food because he wanted to bring one home for his girlfriend.
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Shooting cats at night
He said his anger grew after he stepped in cat poop while walking in a forest.
The man bought a crossbow online and began going out at night to target cats. He told the court that he wanted to scare the animals away.
Prosecutors said the attacks were planned. Police also obtained camera footage showing him chasing a cat trying to escape between parked cars.
The attacks caused fear among residents in Eindhoven. Cat owners worried that their animals could become the next victims.
Police investigated the attacks using footage from doorbell cameras. On May 19, local residents caught the suspect and handed him over to police. The man initially denied shooting the cats but later confessed.
During the hearing, he expressed regret for his actions. According to prosecutors, he has also paid almost all the veterinary costs claimed by the affected cat owners.
The public prosecutor said the man had deliberately targeted cats and had not considered the suffering of the animals or the impact on their owners.
A psychological assessment found that the man had reduced responsibility for his actions. Experts also considered the risk of him repeating the attacks to be low. The man, who studied and worked in Eindhoven, has said he wants to return to China after his release.
Prosecutors are seeking an unconditional nine-month prison sentence. He has been held in custody since his arrest in May.
The court is expected to announce its decision on November 16, 2026.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theanimalreader.com
