Thai drama sparks anger over cat being sedated to depict poisoning, incident under investigation

A Thai period drama is being investigated and boycotted for alleged animal cruelty after a black cat was sedated to depict poisoning in one of the episodes.

Mae Yuaor The Empress of AyodhayaIn a scene starring actress Davika Hoorne and streamed on Channel One31 and Netflix, the cat was seen drinking a solution from a serving plate and suffering convulsions before dying.

The clip, which appeared in the fifth segment, angered animal rights groups and viewers, who called for the series to be banned pending the completion of an investigation into the incident by the Department of Livestock.

The agency has ordered the broadcaster to hand over the cat to it for a detailed examination and explain how the anesthesia was carried out to determine whether the procedure violates the Animal Cruelty Act.

As the backlash grew, Channel One31 apologized for making audiences “uncomfortable” and maintained its commitment to animal safety.

The company said in a social media post on Sunday that it hired a professional animal modeling company with more than a decade of experience to film the scene and that the cat’s owner was present during the sedation process.