David Laverty, of Thornton, said his 12-year-old cat, named Felix, had been a part of his family for seven years.
About two weeks ago, his neighbors discovered the cat dead in their backyard and called Thornton Animal Control.
According to a report from the agency, the cat was "severed from behind the front limbs." The report also said the scene "did not appear consistent with an animal attack, and was possibly consistent with cruelty."
Laverty said animal control officials later decided the evidence was inconclusive and dropped the case.
So, he and his wife took matters into their own hands. They paid $300 for an independent necropsy from Colorado State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories.
"I wanted to know for sure if it was human-caused, just to settle things for ourselves," said Laverty.
The lab's preliminary report showed evidence of a blow to the head (blunt force trauma) and cuts in the skin by a sharp tool or knife.
"There were knife cuts. There was severing. Organs were removed. Ribs were removed," said Laverty, as he looked over the report.
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Now, he is sending off the remains for private DNA testing because he doesn't think this is isolated, seeing as similar incidents have recently happened in other Colorado communities.
Just last month, a cat was found stoned to death in Denver, and a dozen cats turned up mutilated in Highlands Ranch. Earlier this year, a man pleaded guilty to killing cats in Fort Collins. The cities are all within a 60-mile radius.
Laverty said he just wants to warn neighbors about what happened to his family's cat, hoping to stop it from happening again.
A Thornton police spokesman said they are reviewing the case.
Family says pet cat found cut in half, gutted in their Colorado neighborhood
A Colorado family is searching for answers after they said their cat was found cut in half and gutted.
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