Man pleads guilty to stabbing church's therapy cat

A Vancouver, Wash., man who stabbed and slashed a beloved therapy cat at a White Center men's rehabilitation center earlier this year pleaded guilty Monday to animal cruelty.

The King County Prosecutor's Office will seek nine months in jail when Tracy A. Clark is sentenced July 17 for the felony charge. Clark has been in the King County Jail, held in lieu $50,000 bail, since his arrest April 20.

The day before Clark's arrest, Michael Stinnette, men's Ministry Leader at Cross Church, called authorities to report finding Scatt, the church therapy cat, with several knife wounds in the parking lot.

Scatt had lived at the church for about a decade after showing up on the doorstep and refusing to leave. Over the years, the cat became a fixture and source of therapy for the men who had joined the church while trying to kick drugs and alcohol.

After attacking the cat, Clark awoke another resident and told him he had "gutted" Scatt, court charging papers said.

After admitting what he had done, Clark packed up his belongings and moved out of the house. He was arrested the next day, after Stinnette saw him walking in White Center, court documents said.

Clark told King County sheriff's investigators that he had attacked the cat after it scratched him. Clark admitted he grabbed the cat by the throat, threw it against the wall, then cut the animal. Deputies found a knife on Clark and some 20 scratches on his arm, court papers said.

Clark has convictions for drug possession, assault, drunken driving, driving with a suspended license and attempting to elude police.

Antonio Evans, who runs one of the Cross Church therapy houses, said Monday he was relieved Clark pleaded guilty.

He said Scatt has recovered but will no longer work as a therapy cat. Scatt now lives with Pastor Jerry Wilson, Evans said.

"We have him over at the house with the pastor now, to protect him," Evans said, adding that he and others are worried that Clark will someday return and hurt the cat again.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com