Man Allegedly Drowns Cat 'Accidentally' For Scratching Him During Bath

A Texas man was arrested for animal cruelty last month after police say he drowned his cat because the animal scratched his tattoo during bath time.

Authorities arrested Skyler Leviathan Sullivan, a 25-year-old from southeast Dallas, on one count of cruelty to non-livestock animals following a disturbing 311 call, the Dallas Morning News reports. Authorities say that Sullivan called the information help line on the night of Jan. 17 to ask for help, telling the dispatcher that his cat went into shock, the outlet reports, citing an arrest warrant affidavit.

Sullivan went on to tell the dispatcher that he was giving his pet a bath when the cat buried its claws into his tattoo, at which point he got angry and “accidentally tried to drown it,” the affidavit reportedly states. He then initially tried to blame his actions on post-traumatic stress disorder, before telling the dispatcher, “I can’t just keep using my PTSD as an excuse to hurt an animal.”

After officers responded to his apartment, Sullivan told authorities that he was not a monster and that he had tried, and failed, to revive the animal after the incident, according to the Dallas Morning News. A veterinarian ultimately found that the cat, whose name wasn't listed in the affidavit, died after suffering “nonaccidental trauma” associated with the drowning.

After being taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital to treat mental health issues, Sullivan was booked at the Dallas County jail on April 25, where he remained until posting $5,000 bond and securing his release last Wednesday, the Dallas Morning News reports. His bond forbids him from having any pets.