The Thai historical drama series The Empress of Ayodhaya became the subject of controversy over the weekend regarding a scene involving the poisoning of a black cat, in which it was claimed the cat was anaesthetized during filming, sparking outrage over animal cruelty.

Questions were raised after the series’ 5th episode aired last Thursday (7 November) with a scene depicting a black cat dying after licking a poisoned cup of tea. Although the scene was notable for the realistic depiction of the cat’s poisoning, netizens began questioning how a cat could be trained to perform in such a manner and whether it was safe during filming.

Outrage was sparked after Moleewan Pantharak, one of the actors in the scene, posted on her Twitter account that the cat was not dead but was anaesthetized during filming. She wrote that she and another actor in the scene thought the cat was dying because of its seizures and vomiting during filming. Other actors reportedly replied to the post that the cat deserve an award for its “realistic” acting skills. Moleewan has since deleted the post and later deactivated her account.

Netizens accused the producers of animal cruelty, saying that there was no need to sedate the cat when there were other means of filming the scene without endangering the cat’s life. They called for a boycott of the series and demanded that the producers prove the cat was still alive.

The Veterinary Council of Thailand posted on its Facebook page on Saturday (9 November) that it has been informed about the alleged use of sedation, and will be taking action. It also shared an article detailing the risks of anaesthesia use, noting that complications can happen at any time and anaesthetizing an animal should be done by or under the close supervision of a veterinarian. Unnecessary use of anaesthesia or a lack of careful planning could increase the risks or cause the death of an animal.

Director Sant Srikaewlaew posted on his personal Facebook page that the cat was sedated under the supervision of its owner and “experts,” and that it recovered and is in normal health. He also posted a video of the cat, but some netizens questioned whether it was the same cat.

Sant did not clarify whether the “experts” present during filming were veterinary workers. He has since locked his Facebook profile.

One31 issued a statement on Sunday (10 November) saying that it prioritizes animal safety and welfare. The cat came from an animal modelling company which included experts with 10 years of experience in using animals for filming, said the statement, noting that the cat’s owner was also supervising during filming.

One31 apologized for causing viewers discomfort. It said that it will take the feedback and criticism into consideration and will be careful not to let a similar incident take place again.

Animal welfare groups have spoken out against the use of anaesthesia on the cat. Yesterday (11 November), PETA Asia posted on its Facebook page a statement from Senior Vice President Jason Baker saying that it is “reckless, dangerous, and cruel” to anaesthetize the cat for filming, and demanding that Sant be barred from working with animals.

Watchdog Thailand Foundation, meanwhile, call for a probe into the filming, noting that the producers could be in violation of Thailand’s anti-animal cruelty law if they have used anaesthetics on the cat or if no veterinarian was present during filming. It also said that even if the filming was supervised by a veterinarian, the vet could be committing an ethical breach by administering anaesthesia without allowing the cat to fast for 12 hours before being sedated, which would put its life at risk.

Dr. Boonyakrit Pinprasong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Livestock Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said in a press conference today (12 November) that the Department has launched an investigation into whether the film crew were guilty of animal cruelty. Persons involved in the filming have been summoned for a meeting with its Division of Animal Welfare and Veterinary Services and will be questioned. If the Department found that the crew violated the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animal Act, it will press charges.

The Empress of Ayodhaya is an interpretation of the story of Si Sudachan, who was a queen of Ayutthaya in the mid 1500s and a consort of King Chairacha and regent for her son Yotfa. According to some sources, she is accused of assassinating her husband and son and putting her lover on the throne as Khun Worawongsathirat. The series reimagines her as Jinda, a daughter of the Lord of Lopburi, who must become one of King Chairacha’s four royal concubines and compete for the position of Queen Consort so that she can seize power and restore her own Lawo dynasty to the throne of Ayutthaya.

The series stars Davika Hoorne as Jinda/Si Sudachan, Thanapat Kawila as Wamon/Worawongsathirat, and Thiraphat Sajakul as King Chairacha. It is now screening on TV at One31 and streaming on Netflix.