Shelter Looking for Answers After Finding Matted Cat Abandoned Near Busy Road: 'Despicable'

White Oak Animal Safe Haven in Pittsburgh took the cat in, got him groomed, and is now preparing the pet for a forever home

A severely matted cat was left near a busy road outside an animal shelter in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

According to White Oak Animal Safe Haven in Pittsburgh, a man visited the shelter on Sept. 9 to surrender the cat but was informed by White Oak's staff that the facility was full and could not accept any new felines.

In a Sept. 9 Facebook post about the incident, White Oak says the shelter's staff provided the man with resources to help him find the cat a new home but claims the individual left the feline in a crate near a busy road outside the facility.

The shelter also shared footage of the man it believes abandoned the animal on its Facebook page and asked for the public's help identifying him.

In the social media post, the shelter directly addresses the unknown individual who abandoned the pet, calling the person "despicable" and asking them numerous questions about the choice to leave the cat behind.

"We want to know how you spoke with two of our staff today, looked them in the eyes as they discussed with you that we are full and have a waitlist to accept new cats, yet left your cat behind. We want to know why you thought you were more important and higher priority than anybody else on our waitlist. We want to know why you feel it's okay for us to shove another cat in this building that is already overcrowded, for your cat to now be scared, confused, alone. We want to know why you felt it was okay to leave your cat locked in a carrier along bushes by a busy road not to be found for hours after you left," White Oak wrote on social media.

Related: S.C. Animal Shelter Looking for 'Fur-Ever Family' for Dog Abandoned in a Closed Plastic Container

The post continued, "We want to know why your cat is severely matted to the point where we can't even tell if your cat is a male or female, the fur completely solidified. We want to know why, instead of using the three pages of resources we provided for you, you felt it was still your best option to dump your cat. Your cat deserved better."

According to White Oak's Facebook updates about the cat, the feline is in the shelter's care and has undergone a thorough grooming session to remove his matted fur. White Oak has named the abandoned kitty Sagwa after a children's animated TV series starring a Siamese cat.

"THANK YOU Bad Mother Puppers Pet Grooming for meeting us today to take care of the terrible matting," the shelter shared on Sunday about Sagwa the cat's progress. "We were able to find out that he's a boy. An entire bag was able to be filled with the solid matting. We've called him Sagwa, after the cartoon cat, Sagwa, as they bear a striking resemblance! This is step one to a much better life, sweet boy."

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White Oak later shared on Facebook that Sagwa received a "clean bill of health" after seeing the vet on Tuesday and will soon be up for adoption.

"His past three days have been a whirlwind of abandonment, grooming, and vet care," the Sept. 12 update read. "This boy needs some time to decompress before beginning meet and greets to find his forever home."

Sagwa will be available for appointment-only meet and greets at White Oak Animal Safe Haven starting on Sept. 18. To learn more about White Oak Animal Safe Haven and meet its adoptable animals, visit the shelter's website.

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