A man has pleaded guilty to 'fishing for cats', by luring the felines using meat and fishhooks, Fox43 reports.

Kenny Rowles, 27, from Nanticoke in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, confessed to inflicting torture on cats and was charged and jailed in May.

This Ohio woman was arrested for feeding stray cats: 

A month prior, one of Rowles' neighbours on East Main Street in Plymouth reported him to an animal rights organisation after witnessing the man dangling a fishing rod over his porch on the second floor. The woman was reportedly told by Rowles himself that he would be "fishing for cats."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Whiskers World Inc.]]

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty then discovered a stray cat with three fish hooks in its mouth. Another two cats were injured in a similarly brutal manner. One of the cats, named Tollie, was so badly injured, they required surgery.

Luzerne County Humane Officer Lisa Devlin told WNEP: "He was in pretty bad shape, the cat, plus with the string hanging out of his mouth it was pretty severe, so I'm glad justice is going to be served, full faith in that will happen."

She told the Times Leader: "The intent was a little bit concerning. Neglect is one thing but the intent to intentionally harm and knowingly, just like the law says, it's concerning."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Whiskers World Inc.]]

Non-profit animal rights group Whiskers World Inc. went into detail about the shocking act of violence Rowles inflicted on the cats:

"We were informed by neighbors that tenants were evicted & left approximately 15 cats behind in an apartment. Someone opened door and let them all outside. At some point, the upstairs tenant began torturing them. He told a neighbor that he was "fishing for cats." Much to our horror, that's exactly what he was doing. He was baiting the cats with food on fishing hooks. We were able to trap one cat with hooks in his mouth. There are two more. He also fed these starving animals food with a string tied to in so that they would swallow it."

They continued: "Several cats are still there with string hanging out of their mouths and rectums. A few of them have visible leg injuries as well. This is absolutely horrifying. So far we have been able to trap 10 of them. We are still trying to get the rest. Several are at the clinic now being neutered, tested and receiving shots & flea meds. The cat pictured is recovering at Dr Kathio's office in Pittston. Needless to say, this is going to be a very costly rescue."

Rowles is to be sentenced on 2 December at Luzerne County courthouse.

A man has pleaded guilty to 'fishing for cats', by luring the felines using meat and fishhooks, Fox43 reports.

Kenny Rowles, 27, from Nanticoke in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, confessed to inflicting torture on cats and was charged and jailed in May.

This Ohio woman was arrested for feeding stray cats: 

A month prior, one of Rowles' neighbours on East Main Street in Plymouth reported him to an animal rights organisation after witnessing the man dangling a fishing rod over his porch on the second floor. The woman was reportedly told by Rowles himself that he would be "fishing for cats."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Whiskers World Inc.]]

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty then discovered a stray cat with three fish hooks in its mouth. Another two cats were injured in a similarly brutal manner. One of the cats, named Tollie, was so badly injured, they required surgery.

Luzerne County Humane Officer Lisa Devlin told WNEP: "He was in pretty bad shape, the cat, plus with the string hanging out of his mouth it was pretty severe, so I'm glad justice is going to be served, full faith in that will happen."

She told the Times Leader: "The intent was a little bit concerning. Neglect is one thing but the intent to intentionally harm and knowingly, just like the law says, it's concerning."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Whiskers World Inc.]]

Non-profit animal rights group Whiskers World Inc. went into detail about the shocking act of violence Rowles inflicted on the cats:

"We were informed by neighbors that tenants were evicted & left approximately 15 cats behind in an apartment. Someone opened door and let them all outside. At some point, the upstairs tenant began torturing them. He told a neighbor that he was "fishing for cats." Much to our horror, that's exactly what he was doing. He was baiting the cats with food on fishing hooks. We were able to trap one cat with hooks in his mouth. There are two more. He also fed these starving animals food with a string tied to in so that they would swallow it."

They continued: "Several cats are still there with string hanging out of their mouths and rectums. A few of them have visible leg injuries as well. This is absolutely horrifying. So far we have been able to trap 10 of them. We are still trying to get the rest. Several are at the clinic now being neutered, tested and receiving shots & flea meds. The cat pictured is recovering at Dr Kathio's office in Pittston. Needless to say, this is going to be a very costly rescue."

Rowles is to be sentenced on 2 December at Luzerne County courthouse.