Guylene Roy of Ottawa, Ontario, has been arrested and charged under the animal cruelty act.
She is accused of permitting distress to the animal by allowing it to become overweight, thereby failing to provide acceptable standard of care for the cat.
The 12-year-old cat, named Napoleon, was allegedly so fat that it could not clean its fur. The Humane Society euthanized the cat, claiming it was overweight, in pain and in poor health. Now, the cat's owner had been charged with neglect and can go to jail.
"That owner, Roy, had taken Napoleon to the vet on numerous occasions, and did not act on the advice given to her by the veterinarian," the Humane Society of Ottawa said in a statement.
As a result, it is alleged that the condition of her cat worsened. When the Human Society took possession of Napoleon, they alleged that the cat weighed 25 pounds and was in such poor health that they had no choice but to end the cat's suffering.
"This cat was in very bad condition," Humane Society inspector Miriam Smith said. "Failure to follow the advice of a veterinarian and allowing the pet to deteriorate like this is awful, and it is against the law." she added.
Roy could receive as much as a $1,000 fine along with up to 30 days in jail.
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