A United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier was reportedly caught on camera spraying an elderly cat with what appeared to be pepper spray — though he denied the act when confronted.
The incident took place on the evening of Monday, July 28, in Rancho Cordova, California, while USPS employee was delivering mail. According to The Sacramento Bee, 35-year-old Chris Commander’s cat, Xena, was calmly sitting outside his home, as she often does. What happened next left Commander stunned.
Instead of acknowledging the 15-year-old tortoiseshell cat with a gentle gesture — as other mail carriers had done in the past — the man allegedly backed away from the animal and said, “Get the f— out of here,” before grabbing a spray bottle from his bag and spraying liquid toward the motionless cat.
Xena quickly scurried across the walkway and out of sight as the carrier repeated the phrase and turned toward the front door. However, instead of delivering the mail, he left it on the hood of a nearby car, according to Commander.
Commander told The Sacramento Bee that he was inside his home when he heard one of his dogs barking. Curious, he checked his Ring doorbell camera and witnessed the entire incident unfold live — watching as his oldest cat was sprayed with what he believed was pepper spray.
Immediately after, Commander rushed outside to confront the mail carrier, who was already seated in his vehicle. Despite the footage, the USPS employee denied spraying the cat and claimed to be a cat lover.
Upon returning inside, Commander noticed Xena’s fur was coated in a strong-smelling, oily substance. Though he feared the exposure might cause respiratory issues due to her advanced age, she appeared to be unharmed and remained “in good spirits,” he said.
“I didn’t know I had to be worried about this,” he told The Sacramento Bee. “I just can’t understand how this even happened, to be honest.”
Commander later filed a formal complaint with USPS. In a statement provided to The Sacramento Bee, USPS spokesperson Meiko S. Patton confirmed the incident is under investigation.
“The United States Postal Service holds its employees to high standards of conduct, and any actions that conflict with these values are taken seriously. We are currently reviewing this incident and will take appropriate action based on the results to ensure alignment with our commitment to integrity and professionalism,” Patton said.
Though Xena is reportedly doing well, Commander is still looking for accountability. “I don’t see why you’d spray a cat that just wanted to be pet,” he told CBS News Sacramento.
“It was just frustrating,” he added, “and kind of sad to see that.”
