'Deliberate act of cruelty': Cat drowned in South Australia floods

South Australia’s RSPCA has called on the public to help find the person responsible for drowning a cat in the Gawler River during last week’s floods.

WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT

The cat was found in a backpack that was dragged from the river, north of Adelaide, on October 2 by people who said they heard the cat's cries.

“But the female tortoiseshell was dead by the time the bag was retrieved,” RSPCA SA said in a statement.

The cat, which had a light-blue collar but was not microchipped, was taken to a local vet clinic who then alerted the RSPCA.

RSPCA SA chief inspector Andrea Lewis said the drowning appears to be a deliberate act of cruelty.

The animal welfare organisation is searching for those responsible and has called on the public for help, releasing pictures of the cat, her collar and the blue-and-grey backpack.

The RSPCA has also attempted to make contact with the people that found the backpack and dropped it off at the vet.

“If we don’t get that information we’ve got nothing to base the investigation on,” an RSPCA spokesperson said.

Anyone with information should call RSPCA SA's cruelty line on 1300 477 722.