Cat survives shot to the head near Rochester, Minnesota

ORONOCO, Minn. (KMSP) - If cats truly have nine lives, it's hard to say just how many a cat near Rochester has left.

Desirae Pegram’s cat, Two, was found late last week shot through the head.

Pegram and her family are amazed that he survived, but infuriated it happened at all.

The cat survived a shot to the head that narrowly missed an artery and his brain. The bullet lodged in a cheekbone instead of going all the way through. X-rays from an emergency veterinarian show the bullet still in the cat’s face.

“The vet said he's never seen a cat escape death three times in one bullet,” said Pegram.

The family's vet in Plainview checked out Two and determined the cat is in good condition and will have surgery after the holiday.

“We're not sure what kind of bullet at this point until we can do the surgery and remove it, but I'd say it's a very lucky scenario based on where the wound is,” said Dr. Nate Eversman of Plainview Vet Clinic.

A friend of the family found the cat shot near the main city park after it had gotten loose.

What's disturbing to Pegram is whoever took the shot, would have done so right in town and at a family pet.

She addressed a Facebook post to "The man who shot my cat," stressing it wasn't just a cat, but a member of their family.

“He's my child and my kid’s best friend, so it's hard,” she said.