According to The Seattle Times, Tracy A. Clark, the man convicted of brutally “gutting” Scat, a therapy cat at White Center’s Cross Church, was sentenced Friday to nine months in jail, as well as undergo alcohol treatment.

As we reported April 21st, Clark, 47, was arrested by King County Sheriff’s officers on animal cruelty charges after he allegedly severely injured the animal with a box cutter knife.

Another resident was awakened by Clark around 1am on Monday, April 20th, who told him that he had “gutted the cat.” The resident thought the suspect was intoxicated, and both men ended up going to bed.

The next afternoon the church pastor found the severely-injured cat in the parking lot.

According to court documents, Clark claims that the cat “attacked him” first, forcing him to defend himself. He said he grabbed the cat by the throat, threw it against the wall and then stabbed it with his own knife.

Scatt spent ten days at the South Seattle Veterinary Hospital and is still recovering.

Read the full story here.

Tracy Clark, the man accused of “gutting” Scatt, a therapy cat at White Center’s Cross Church, plead “Not Guilty” to a first degree animal cruelty charge Wednesday morning at King County Superior Court.

Clark allegedly attacked Scatt, the church’s therapy cat for the last eight years, on Sunday April 19th, resulting in multiple injuries including a “collar-bone to tail” knife wound.

According to KOMO News, Clark told deputies the cat attacked him first, forcing him to defend himself. He admitted that he grabbed the cat by the throat, threw it against a wall and then stabbed it with his own knife.

Clark, 47, claimed that he’d enrolled in rehabilitation at the church, which offers a full-time residential discipleship program for distressed men.

According to the report, another church resident told police that Clark awoke him late that night and said he had “gutted the cat.”

Scatt is still recovering after being treated for 10 days at South Seattle Veterinary Hospital. He was near death when admitted.

Clark is currently in custody with a $50,000 bail, and he faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• “Scatt” The Therapy Cat Doing Well, Attacker’s Arraignment Date Set For May 6th
• Update On “Scatt” The Cat’s Injuries
• Man Arrested In White Center For “Gutting” Cross Church’s Cat “Scat”

Two updates on “Scatt,” the seriously-injured therapy cat attacked by a man with a box cutter on Sunday, April 19th at White Center’s Cross Church:

1. Scatt was released from South Seattle Vet Hospital on Tuesday, April 28th, he’s doing well, and has been reunited with his keepers at the church. Jennifer, the Pastor’s wife, was quoted as saying:
   

   “Scatt is home and doing well… He is “perched” near a window, where he can see out and have the sunshine on his stitches.
   

   He has had antibiotics, pain meds and warm packs -doing great- he also is eating and drinking a lot…. AMEN!”

2. Tracy Clark, the man charged with attacking the cat, will be arraigned at 8:30am on Wednesday, May 6th at the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle. Folks at Pasadao’s Safe Haven website have posted the following statement:

Prosecutor didn’t buy the perp’s story – “I was attacked by the cat! It was self-defense!”Pasado’s Safe Haven is pleased to announce that Tracy Clark has been charged with 1st Degree Animal Cruelty. We’re thrilled that the felony animal cruelty law we helped pass in 1994 is being put to use.

HELP US SEEK JUSTICE FOR SCATT!

Please join us at date and location below. We’ll have banners and you are welcome to bring your own sign, but please make sure the language/images are respectful and appropriate to the occasion and don’t cause distraction.

Over the last few days, Pasado’s Safe Haven’s cruelty investigator, Angel L., and Pasado’s Operations Exec, Brendan B., have been tracking the case, and so have TV & newspaper reporters. Many have written to us and one comment, in particular, really rang true:


“This guy is ridiculous. To say the cat attacked him is ridiculous. I thought it was ludicrous in court yesterday that he was acting like he’s part victim! Give me a break, this guy is such a loser! I hope you get some donations for Scatt’s care, I put a link on our site to your site!”

If you’d like to help DONATE HERE (don’t forget to ask your employer to match your donation).