Possible Burglars Kill Family's Cats, Cherokee County Official Says

Three family pets are dead and investigators say burglars could be responsible.

They didn't get any valuables, but left the three treasured cats dead in Cherokee County.

Cherokee County deputies responded at about 4 a.m. Sunday to a home north of Tahlequah when a resident heard prowlers.

Someone had taken off window screens from a garage. No burglars were found, but deputies discovered three of the family's pet cats dead or dying.

"The poor cat, the one I'm thinking about, was still alive when we found it, and it tried to get up and walk over to me and couldn't go but two or three steps and fell back down,” Bill Wallace said.

The cats -- named Jasper, Fluffy and Suki -- each had broken backs and internal injuries.

Burglars could be to blame.

"The victim's daughter said she heard a thud against the wall, that could have been from this person throwing a cat against the wall,” Cherokee County Undersheriff Jason Chennault said.

There is the possibility a dog may have gotten into the garage by getting the screens off the open windows.

But since the cats didn't have bite marks, other than one cat that had a puncture wound, investigators consider it an animal cruelty case.

Reporter: “What kind of person would it take to do something like that?

Chennault: “Someone with a twisted mind."

Investigators fear if the pets were killed by a person, maybe as a prank or out of pure meanness, they could do it again.

"It means they have a lack of conscience for sure," Chennault said.

Anyone arrested in the case will face breaking and entering, burglary and felony animal cruelty charges.

"What kind of person would do that? What kind of person is that cruel?" Wallace said.

Of course anyone with information that could help in the investigation is urged to call the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

"Sickening and sad,” Chennault said.