Florida man shot and killed cat because it looked at him 'like it owned the place'

A Florida man shot and killed a cat because it was fouling his driveway at the Pinewood Trailer Park in Ormond Beach. When police asked the 69-year-old why he reacted so violently, he said: "It looked at me like it owned the place."

The unnamed man shot the cat in the spine with a BB gun, paralysing it. He admitted that it was not the first time he had shot an animal. The cat had to be dragged from under a car where it was howling in pain and euthanised.

"It was just a poor judgement call," the man told local reporters. "It was not my intention to hurt that cat. All I wanted to do was get it out in front of my walkway, stop pooping. For the flies and the smell is just horrendous," he told WKMG.

When quizzed about his actions, the man — who receives disability benefits — seemed more concerned about his own fate than that of the animal. He said: "I'll be homeless. Might be a death sentence for accidentally shooting some cat," he said.

Pinewood Trailer Park is a cat-loving community. The dead animal's owner Hung Nguyen keeps eight other feline pets. Neighbour Heidi Hatheaway said: "It was the most saddest thing to see a little animal, literally tears running down its face."

She added: "If he's not accurate of how he shoots, what's to stop him from shooting anybody?"Police and prosecutors are still trying to determine whether there is enough evidence to charge the man with a felony for animal cruelty.