Pet Cat Stabbed 20 Times By Teen, Thrown To Death From Second-Floor Balcony

A 19-year-old woman was charged with animal cruelty after she stabbed her pet cat almost 20 times before throwing it from the second-floor balcony. The incident took place in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday.

Police responded to the scene Wednesday morning and found a cat lying dead on the road. An officer took the feline to a nearby animal hospital where an autopsy was performed. The examination revealed that the cat was stabbed 20 times. Police obtained a search warrant for the cat’s unidentified owner’s home and found another cat there. The authorities seized the feline.

Police took the owner for medical assessment and arrested her after clearance. She was charged with torture, beating and causing the death of an animal, and committing an act of aggravated cruelty on an animal. Her bail was refused by the court and she remained in jail. The motive behind the crime was, however, not known.

Describing the case as “very upsetting and one that will undoubtedly shock and disturb the community,” Elise Burgess from the animal protection charity Four Paws said, “This cat clearly suffered a horrific fate, and would have felt a great deal of fear and pain in this violent act. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon that animals are victims of violence, with companion animals such as in this case being at the mercy of humans within the home. If they are mistreated, they are often unable to protect themselves.”

“Sadly, animals are often considered as ‘things’ by those responsible for their care and treated as such, and not as the sentient beings they are who warrant protection from neglect, violence and suffering,” Burgess added.

Meanwhile, the second cat seized from the teen’s home was in the care of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal and it “appeared to be doing well.”