GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man who admitted to killing his family’s house cat “because he thought it was going to attack’’ has been charged in the cat’s late April death at an apartment complex.
Adam Clark Bigham threw the cat to the ground, knelt on it and “tossed the cat out the window,’’ according to a probable cause affidavit.
Bigham, 46, has a court hearing next week for animals – killing/torturing. He was booked into the Kent County Jail on May 8 and released.
The incident happened April 28 at an apartment on Yorkland Drive NW, court records show.
Kent County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched there in reference to a domestic argument, court records show.
Bigham “admitted that he killed his family’s house cat because he thought it was going to attack his son,’’ detective Emily Gerke wrote in a probable cause affidavit.
Bigham “stated he was defending his family by throwing the cat to the ground, grabbing it by the head/neck area to ‘detain’ it, and knelt on its stomach until it was lifeless,’’ Gerke wrote.
Bigham “then tossed the cat out the window before his children called 911,’’ Gerke wrote.
He is among a half-dozen men prosecuted in Kent County in the past year for the death of an animal.
In two of the cases, it was a neighbor shooting another neighbor’s dog.
Three cases were tied to domestic abuse and resulted in multiple charges, including animals – killing/torturing.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker says animal cruelty cases strike a chord with the community.
“People consider animals as part of the family, whether it be a dog, whether it be a cat or whatever animal it is,’’ Becker said. “We take them very seriously and do what we can to protect the animals.’’
A message seeking comment was left with Bigham’s attorney.
If convicted of animals – killing/torturing, Bigham faces up to four years in prison, a $5,000 fine and up to 500 hours of community service. The court may also order psychiatric evaluation.
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