Mutilated cat found in Avenues

A ninth cat mutilation in the Avenues Friday has area residents concerned and local authorities trying to determine who is responsible.

"We don't know who or what is doing this," Salt Lake County Animal Services spokeswoman Temma Martin said. "This is clearly someone who lacks empathy and compassion. It seems to be a process to desensitize themselves to suffering, and that would make them able to move on to human victims."

Deseret News graphic Pet mutilations Requires Adobe Acrobat.

The latest mutilated cat, a black and white domestic medium-hair female, was found Friday at 5:30 a.m., the front half of her body missing from below the shoulders. A passer-by spotted the cat lying on her side on a curb near Eighth Avenue and H Street.

Two veterinarians examined the remains and determined the severed portion of the animal was cut, not torn or bitten off, Martin said. A portion of the cat's fur was also found nearby, Martin said.

"The nails on the back paws were split and rough, which would suggest it was struggling," Martin said.

The age of the cat was unknown since that is determined by examining the animal's teeth.

It was the 10th animal mutilation in the Avenues since May 14, 2002, when a male black cat was found with its throat cut at 373 N. H Street. During that time, one dog also was found mutilated and partially buried at the city cemetery in the Avenues. Friday's discovery was the first cat mutilation in the Avenues since April 23, when a female tortoise shell cat was found at 486 N. G Street with her front legs and upper organs missing.

Salt Lake City police joined the investigation in May but have not named a suspect in the killings.

"There are animal-cruelty laws on the books, and we take it very seriously," Salt Lake police detective Kevin Joiner said.

Under Utah law, anyone who tortures or kills an animal illegally can be charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

"It is under investigation and every possible angle, aspect and lead is being looked at," Joiner said.