A man is in custody tonight after Clovis officers found a cat bound in electrical tape stuffed into his backpack.

Just before 8:00am Sunday morning, a Clovis patrol officer conducted a check on a suspicious bicyclist behind the Wal Mart in the 300 block of W Shaw in Clovis.  This subject, 24 year old Cody High, initially lied about his name, but officers quickly discovered this and determined his true identity at which time he was found to be on felony probation for drug violations.  As officers opened his backpack to perform a probation search he told them that he had a cat inside which he believed was deceased.

Officers searched his backpack and inside found an orange adult cat which had electrical tape tightly wrapped several times around the neck, face, and nose. The cat’s front and rear legs were also tightly bound together with electrical tape.  The cat did initially appear to be deceased.  Officers quickly removed the tape from its face and the cat began to breathe on its own.  Clovis Animal Control took the cat to an emergency vet where the tape was removed from its legs and it received medical treatment.  The veterinarian reported the cat likely would have died in the backpack had officers not stopped High.  The cat does have a microchip and Animal Control is working on returning it home.

Clovis officers conducted a probation search at a nearby mobile home park where High was believed to be staying.  No further victimized animals were found there.

High was arrested for charges including animal cruelty, false ID to an officer, violation of probation, and possession of narcotics paraphernalia and booked into Fresno County Jail.

The cat is expected to survive without permanent disability or injury from the incident.