Serial Cat Killer May Be Connected To Severed Feline Heads

Authorities are concerned a serial cat killer may be associated with severed feline heads found in the New York and Connecticut areas in the last few months.

Most recently, an unidentified person beat and shot a calico named Blackfoot belonging to Robert Kitts of Patterson, New York. Officials believed the same person is responsible for the beating, shooting, and decapitating of the cats.

Kitts contacted authorities on February 7, 2013 to report his 7-month-old calico female cat was paralyzed from a spinal fracture and suffering from wounds to her neck. The Huffington Post reports a veterinarian found a possible BB gun or low-caliber rifle metal projectile embedded in the cat’s spine. Blackfoot also appeared to have injuries consistent with blunt force trauma as one would see in an animal having been kicked. The feline died four days later.

Kitts lives a half-mile away from where a cat head was discovered in August. Two other severed feline heads were found in both Fairfield and Oxford Connecticut in July, one seemingly put on display alongside an intersection.

Aside from the obvious disturbing nature of abusing and mutilating animals, is that it is a typical sign of someone who will eventually graduate to harming larger animals and people.

The American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of behavioral and psychological disorders. Many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have morbid histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty.

The FBI has recognized a similar connection based on the analysis of the lives of serial killers which suggest most had killed or tortured animals in their youth before proceeding to human targets. Other research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of more common forms of violence including child abuse, spouse abuse, and elder abuse.

Anyone with any information on the cat killings is asked to call the Putnam County SPCA at 845-520-6915, or contact them via their website. The criminal will face felony charges.

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