A Dallas man drowned his cat — because the frisky feline scratched his tattoo during a bath, police said.
Skyler Leviathan Sullivan, 25, was arrested last month on one count of cruelty to nonlivestock animals after calling the city’s 311 system on Jan. 17 to request help, saying the cat went into shock, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Sullivan told a dispatcher that he was giving the pet a bath when she dug her claws into his tattoo. He then “accidentally tried to drown” the cat after losing his temper, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the newspaper.
Sullivan then blamed the kitty killing on PTSD — but acknowledged it was a flimsy excuse, according to the affidavit.
“I can’t just keep using my PTSD as an excuse to hurt an animal,” Sullivan said.
He told responding officers at his apartment in southeast Dallas that he wasn’t a monster and tried unsuccessfully to revive the cat, whose name was not listed in the affidavit. A veterinarian later found that the animal suffered “nonaccidental trauma” during the drowning.
Sullivan, who was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation after his April 25 arrest, was released from custody Wednesday after posting $5,000 bond. He is now barred from having pets under conditions of his bond, according to the newspaper. It’s not clear where his tattoo is located.
Attempts to reach Sullivan Monday were unsuccessful. It’s unclear if he’s hired an attorney.