The director of a Thai period drama confirmed that a cat is safe and healthy after it was drugged for a scene portraying its seizure and death.
Director Sant Srikaewlaw on Saturday wrote on Facebook that a cat was given an anaesthetic for the filming but the practice was closely supervised by its owner and experts. He also posted clips of the black cat to prove it is healthy.
He wrote that he would have the cat undergo a checkup and would present the written result later to prove its healthy condition.
Mr Sant directed "The Empress of Ayodhaya", a period drama about a courtesan during the Ayutthaya period. The series is aired on several channels including Netflix.
The controversial scene in the fifth episode shows a black cat was forced to drink a solution from a tray. Then it developed seizures and cried, and a character said it died.
In response to the scene, many people – including famous artists – voiced their concern about possible animal torture.
The Thai Animal Guardians Association said it had asked the Department of Livestock Development to investigate the matter because there was concern about possible animal torture, a criminal offence.
The Veterinary Council of Thailand said it was aware of the matter and would later take relevant action.
An actress in the series apologised for her previous comment that the cat performed well and deserved to be nominated for an award.