TEMPE, AZ -- Tempe police are looking into six disturbing cases of animal abuse.
Six cats have all come through University Animal Hospital with similar wounds over the past month.
The wounds are described as clean cuts, some of them are the length of the cat's back.
Fortunately all of the cats have survived.
"I was a vet tech for years and it was probably one of the worst injuries I've ever seen," said Kristen Stewart.
She found "Charlie" on September 29 lying in the courtyard of her Tempe apartment complex. Charlie has been a fixture at the complex for years.
Stewart alerted apartment management staff when she realized he was injured.
Now, out of the animal hospital, Charlie is doing better.
He has stitches that go down the length of his back, he's on an antibiotic and he wears a "lampshade" around his neck that prevents him from chewing on his wound or the stitches.
Stephanie Wohlgemuth is among those helping to take care of Charlie.
"Charlie is so friendly, he'd go to anybody. So of course it's cats that are outside, taking a stroll, and people friendly, so those are the animals that are the victims," Wohlgemuth said.
Tempe police say they don't have any leads or suspects at this time.
Spokesman Steve Carbajal said, "The injuries appear to be more than something a cat would get in a catfight, these appear to be intentional."
The cats affected do not seem to be located in one specific area.
One attack happened near Guadalupe Road and Hardy Drive. One near the Loop 101 and Broadway, another near McClintock Drive and Apache Blvd.
Anyone with information should contact Tempe police at 480-350-8311.
