Golden – A 39-year-old Arvada man who admitted stabbing a cat multiple times with a 2-foot sword has been sentenced to two years of probation.
Richard Davis pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals in the Aug. 17, 2005, incident.
Court records show that Precious, a calico tabby cat living in the home Davis and his fiancée shared in the 8700 block of West 54th Place, had recently given birth to a litter of kittens.
The mother cat scratched and bit Davis’ fiancée. Records show that Davis grabbed a sword and chased Precious, finally cornering her under a table, where he stabbed the cat in the abdomen.
Precious survived after surgeries paid for by a cat rescue group and has since been adopted.
In sentencing Davis on Friday, Jefferson County District Judge Christopher Munch said the cat-slashing was “absolutely outrageous and absolutely wrong.”
Munch, noting Davis has a history of mental-health problems, granted probation with the conditions that Davis continue to take psychiatric medications and meet regularly with his psychotherapist.
The judge turned aside arguments by Davis’ attorney, Kristy Sanders, who said Davis was defending his girlfriend, who he “perceived incorrectly” was being attacked.
“This was a mother with kittens,” Munch said. “You went after this cat with this sword, chasing it around the table, poking it with a sword while your girlfriend shouted, ‘Stop, stop.”‘
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
