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A Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested for abusing his then-girlfriend's cat, pictured above, which later died of its injuries, according to the Tampa Police Department.

A Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested for abusing his then-girlfriend's cat, pictured above, which later died of its injuries, according to the Tampa Police Department.

TAMPA — The Tampa Police Department arrested a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office deputy on Aug. 31 on a charge of felony animal cruelty, reports state.

According to a TPD press release, suspect Eric Harris is accused of beating and injuring his then-girlfriend’s cat to the point that it later died.

Reports state the incident began Aug. 21 at the woman’s Tampa apartment that Harris moved into a month prior. The couple got into an argument, reports state, because Harris was upset about his girlfriend’s two cats defecating on the floor outside of their litter box and jumping onto the counters and furniture.

Shortly after 7 p.m. the next day, Aug. 22, reports state Harris’ girlfriend returned home to the apartment and found both cats hiding in their crate. When she pulled one of the animals from the crate, a 3-year-old male cat named Axel, reports state she saw that the toenails on his rear paws were broken and bloody. The girlfriend told investigators the cat was acting oddly and unable to stand using his rear legs.

She immediately took that cat to its veterinarian located in Sarasota, reports state, where it was recommended that Axel be taken to an animal hospital for urgent care. The cat died from its injuries the same day, reports state, and the doctor contacted law enforcement due to the severity of the cat’s injuries.

TPD detectives questioned Harris, who reportedly denied any wrongdoing and claimed the cat was fine during the time he was alone with it in the apartment.

A necropsy was conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Aug. 26. Reports from the investigation state Axel suffered severe hemorrhaging and bruising to internal organs, facial injuries, including a missing tooth, and markings were found on his body indicating that he had been stomped. His cause of death was ruled as blunt force trauma.

Harris was arrested by TPD officers at his home on Aug. 31 and charged with felony animal cruelty.

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