Kitten the cat.

SUMMIT TWP — A township man is accused of shooting and killing his neighbor's cat Sunday night for defecating on his property.

Pennsylvania State Police charged Jacob Andrew Palatinas, 22, of Hays Lane in the Lick Hill neighborhood of Summit Township with misdemeanor and felony charges of animal cruelty.

State police Trooper Tyler Dubovi responded to the call, which came at about 6 p.m. Sunday, where he was told by the cat's owner, Jason Ramsey, that in an argument following the shooting Palatinas said he shot the cat because the pet continually defecated on his property, according to the affidavit.

While talking with Dubovi, Palatinas admitted shooting the cat, but claimed he thought it was a groundhog, according to the document.

Also in the report, Dubovi noted the cat suffered a single gunshot wound through the torso.

Marissa Ehrman of Summit Township said the black cat with green eyes is a family pet. She said Ramsey is her stepfather who lives with her.

Ehrman said the cat, whose name was Kitten, was an indoor and outdoor cat. She said the cat had a litter box inside the house, and she had never had a complaint from Palatinas before the shooting.

“He took his gun and shot it out the window and killed our family cat,” she said. “I just don't understand why he felt the need to shoot her. She's never done anything to nobody.”

Ehrman said she took Kitten into her home as a stray kitten two years ago. The cat recently gave birth to five kittens, she said.

“The cat he shot and killed just had a litter of kittens,” Ehrman said. “I had to go to the (Butler County) Humane Society today to see what I could do about feeding them.”

Ehrman claimed Palatinas knew that Kitten belonged to them.

“There's all kinds of stray cats, and he's never shot at any of them,” she said. “He clearly knew it was our cat.”

Ehrman said her two sons have felt the loss, but have been keeping busy with caring for their cat's kittens.

“The 6-year-old took it harder, the 3-year-old doesn't understand,” she said.

Ehrman said the cat meant a lot to their family, and they will miss her.

“You can't just go around killing people's family animals,” Ehrman said.

Palatinas, who did not respond for comment, was arraigned Monday morning by District Judge Lewis Stoughton.

His preliminary hearing will be July 10.