The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for burning alive a feral kitten in Santa Rosa's Apple Valley neighborhood last week has increased to $6,000.


Adam, a black, short-hair stray kitten, was torched last Wednesday inside a cage on the banks of Paulin Creek. He is being treated at a local animal hospital for second- and third-degree burns over 75 percent of his body.

The money for the reward is coming from regular donors to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, a nonprofit organization that focuses on the humane treatment and control of feral cats.

"These are supporters of Forgotten Felines who are outraged that this could happen in our community, and they want to see the perpetrator caught and punished," said Jennifer Kirchner, the group's executive director.

The $6,000 reward is double the amount that was offered Monday as several frequent contributors to Forgotten Felines have put up $1,000 each, with one person putting up $2,000. She said others have also contributed money toward the kitten's medical costs.

Meanwhile, Adam's condition has improved since Monday.

Medical staff at the Animal Hospital of Cotati removed a significant amount of dead skin from the kitten's back to lessen the possibility of infection.

"It takes a couple days for the injury to kill the skin that's going to die. You just have to wait it out," said Dr. Katheryn Hinkle, the owner of the animal hospital.

Hinkle said she took Adam home Monday evening and that her 14-year-old daughter "stayed up with him all night." She said Adam continues to eat and that he was even playful at 2 a.m.

"We're giving him additional pain drugs as he needs them," Hinkle said Tuesday. "He got up and walked around this morning after the bandage change. So far so good."

On Tuesday, investigators for Sonoma County Animal Control visited the Apple Valley apartment complex near the site along the creek where it is believed Adam was torched, gathering more information about the crime.

Adam and five other kittens, along with the two traps that contained them, were taken from beneath an outdoor stairway next to the apartment of an Apple Valley resident who had trapped them for spaying and neutering at Forgotten Felines.

Kirchner said the man, who is neither an employee nor a volunteer of Forgotten Felines, left the cages under the stairway last Tuesday night and they were missing the next day.

"This man made an error in judgement," Kirchner said. "Forgotten Felines does not condone leaving a trapped animal unattended."

Kirchner said her organization has received calls from people asking why they are making Adam suffer by trying to keep him alive.

"We're not trying to be heroes," said Kirchner. "Because he appears to have the will and desire to live is the reason we're continuing treatment. If at some point he or his body appears to give up, we will too."

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County at 576-7999 or Sonoma County Animal Control, 565-7100.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 521-5213 or martin.espinoza@press

democrat.com.