How is this possible? Either that statement is a lie, or the cat was demonically possessed. Seriously
Very easily could happen.
Lung shot many an animal only to have it run. It can take time to bleed out.
Sometimes they just don't know their dead.
Only times I see them drop right down is with a spine shot or take out the shoulders.
Not hard to believe at all.
When I first moved in, we had a bad feral cat problem. A family down the road was breeding them and letting them run loose. I trapped and turned them over to animal control until they said they wouldn't take anymore.
Talked to the family and they just blew me off.
After my wife's new Jag had the paint shredded on the hood one night, she begged me to do something.
I made traps out of thin wood strapping, then tossed them into the yard with the dogs. A few got away but most didn't last 10 seconds.
After about a month, the cats went away.
No whining from the cat lovers. If you'd quit letting them run free and ruining people's stuff, there wouldn't be a problem.