Charges were dismissed Thursday morning against a Hixson man accused of slicing the stomach of a cat after his girlfriend said she no longer thinks he did it.
Kelly Logan said she first thought the boyfriend, Teddy J. Wilson, was the one who sliced the stomach of three-month-old "Tinker". But she said she now believes the kitten could have gotten cut on a car fan blade. She said the kitten liked to crawl up inside the car's engine.
After the testimony, General Sessions Court Judge Christie Sell dismissed the animal cruelty charge.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had gotten involved in the case, urging District Attorney Bill Cox to vigorously prosecute.
The cat was taken to a vet and was euthanized at the time of the Nov. 11 incident on Crescent Drive.
Ms. Logan testified that she called the police that day after she and Wilson were arguing and drinking. "We got into a very heated argument," she said.
She said Wilson went outside, leaving the door open, and Tinker and another cat followed him out. She said her son, 18-year-old Brandon Logan, then came in holding the carved-up kitten.
She said, "He was cut open. I had to turn away. His insides were out. I started crying. I was getting real sick."
She said she later checked outside and "found no trace of blood."
Ms. Logan, who said, "We're animal lovers," said she found Wilson's pocket knife on a dresser, and she said her five steak knives were in place.
She said she decided, "We wanted this thing dropped."
Ms. Logan said Wilson has "suffered" from the incident. She said, "He has lost customers. People won't come to the door where he goes. He's suffered a lot for something he didn't do."
Brandon Logan said Wilson had just gone out with the cats and he figured "it had to be Ted" who did it.
The witness said, "He was arguing about the cat. He left all mad."
Police said Kelly Logan told them at the scene that Wilson had been drunk and arguing and cursing with her "about the cat."
An officer said he was told that Wilson "hated" the cat.
Rodney Strong was the prosecutor and Mike Caputo the defense attorney.
Prosecutor Strong told the court he assumed the case would be dismissed based on the girlfriend's testimony in support of the defendant.