Cat in The Woodlands mutilated in neighborhood, owner says

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (KTRK) -- A couple in The Woodlands is mourning the loss of their pet cat Sampson, and they believe the cat may have been mutilated at the hands of a deranged person.

"You get this sinking feeling, this sinking feeling that something bad has happened," said Susan Van Laar, the cat's owner.

The woman said Sampson managed to get out of their home on Sunday night. The couple went outside calling for the cat, canvassing the neighborhood. Still, they could not find him.

"He didn't come when we called him, which never happens," Van Laar said.

Hours later, the woman discovered the body of her cat across the street in the neighbor's yard. What she saw disturbed her.

"The organs were lined up perfectly in a straight line. And there was no sign of a struggle," Van Laar said. "There was a clean cut to his neck, a clean slice to his stomach."

The woman also noted there were no puncture wounds that would suggest an animal attack.

The horrified couple contacted police. A spokesperson for the department tells Eyewitness News the incident is currently under investigation and the body of the cat is being examined.

"He was really just a friendly and nice cat," said Travis Trabue, a neighbor. "And to hear that he died in such a brutal fashion is just scary."

The couple posted online about the incident and urged all pet owners to keep their animals inside. Van Laar said they are offering a $5,000 reward for information about what happened to their cat and are working to gather surveillance video from the neighborhood that may offer some clues.

"I know he was scared and I don't like to think about him suffering," she said. "That, I think, is the hardest thing."

RELATED: Homeowner's association warns residents to keep pets safe after cats found mutilated

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