Truth cloudy in tale of glued cat

Animal wasn't stuck to road, driver says

John Hult • jhult@argusleader.com • January 20, 2010

The tale of Timothy - the cat reportedly glued to a Minnesota highway and brought to a Sioux Falls animal shelter - has drawn outrage and a growing reward for information about the case.

On Tuesday, the case jumped another level when actor Ken Wahl donated the Golden Globe he won in 1990 to the pool, which has reached $12,000.

But just as the story took on a national profile, the details surrounding Timothy's discovery and condition - including when and where he was found and whether there was even glue involved - began to unravel.

Timothy since has died of his injuries.

At the time of the incident, Second Chance Rescue Center in Sioux Falls said "a good samaritan found an abused cat glued to the road in Minnesota."

However, Joyce Borgen, the Sioux Falls woman who rescued Timothy, said Tuesday the cat wasn't stuck to the road when she found it on Highway 60 near Mankato and that Second Chance staff told her it was glue.

Also, the veterinarian who treated Timothy said she saw only remnants of the substance that remained on the cat when it was brought to her and performed no tests on it.

Tuesday evening, Second Chance Director Rosey Quinn said workers told her Borgen said the cat was "stuck."

"Who would make up a story like that?" Quinn said.

What is known is that Timothy was not in good shape when Borgen found him. She was driving about 30 miles west of Mankato on Dec. 13 when she saw a cat on the left side of the road who "looked up at me."

She turned around, pulled over, got out of the car and picked up the orange tabby, whose paws were bloodied and had what she called "goop" on his fur.

"I did notice that his back feet were awfully bloody," Borgen said. "I didn't realize he was stuck or glued to the road or anything. I just saw him sitting there."
She took the animal to Second Chance, where he was named "Timothy" and taken to Dale Animal Hospital for treatment.

On Tuesday afternoon, Quinn said the veterinarian who treated Timothy determined that the goop was glue.

"When they brought the kitty to us, we took it to the vet immediately," Quinn said. "She was the one that diagnosed it and did the examination."

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20100120/NEWS/1200306/1001/news
(Submitted by Caty Bergman)