Man beats cat named Chicken Nugget after it kills his bird, police say

Cat had to be euthanized because of severe injuries

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A Homestead man was arrested Monday after he beat a cat so badly that it had to be euthanized, authorities said.

According to an arrest report, police were called to a home in the 800 block of Northwest Fourth Street about an out-of-control man who was trying to kill the family cat.

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Police said the cat's owner told them that James Shawger, 28, opened a cage where he has several birds so he could clean it, and the cat named Chicken Nugget fatally attacked one of the birds.

Police said Shawger grabbed the cat and struck it several times with his fist. 

He then threw the cat to the ground and began kicking it, the arrest report said.

The responding officer spotted the cat lying by the fence, badly injured and unable to move.

The officer said the cat had very shallow breathing and one of his eyes was partly protruding from the socket.

Authorities said Shawger was interviewed by the officer and confessed to striking the cat because he was angry that it had attacked his bird.

The officer said Shawger became apologetic when he was told that the cat was barely alive.

Authorities said the owner took Chicken Nugget to a veterinarian to be euthanized because of the severity of his injuries.

Shawger was arrested on an animal cruelty charge.

 


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.