Thai drama as cat was given sedatives to simulate poisoning sparks anger, incident under investigation

A Thai period drama is facing investigations and calls for a boycott for suspected animal cruelty after a black cat was sedated in one of the episodes to depict it being poisoned.

Mae Yuaor Empress of AyodhayaIn a scene starring actress Davika Hoorne and broadcast on Channel One31 and Netflix, the cat is seen drinking solution from a serving dish and going through convulsions before dying.

The clip, which appeared in the fifth episode, angered animal rights groups and viewers, who demanded that the series be banned until the animal husbandry development department’s investigation into the incident is concluded.

The agency instructed the publisher to turn the cat over to it for a thorough examination and to explain how the anesthesia was performed to determine whether the procedure violated the Animal Cruelty Act.

As the backlash mounted, Channel One31 apologized for “bothering” viewers 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 10 years of experience to film the scene and that the cat owner was present during the sedation process.