A stray cat has been taken in by a Turkish man after it was found with severe burns in northwestern Kocaeli province.
Edip Uran, who adopted the injured cat after finding it in Izmit's Yahya Kaptan neighborhood, said the cat's leg was completely burnt along with its whiskers and ears. Due to the severity of the burns, the cat's leg required amputation.
Uran has been taking care of it since it came home in a dreadful state a week ago. He said that there are many cats that are hurt in the neighborhood and is convinced there is a culprit behind the incident.
"Someone is definitely doing this. There is also another cat in the same situation but we couldn't take him in because he was a savage cat. (We saw that) his feet and face were burnt as he ran away from us," Uran said.
"I wish we knew who did this but we don't. This is just what we have seen. There must be someone who is messing with the cats in this neighborhood," he added.
Local authorities condemned the incident as "terrible and disgusting."