-- From Times staff reporter Ian Ith:

A man accused of slashing, stabbing and bashing Scatt, the beloved cat from a White Center church, pleaded not guilty this morning to felony animal cruelty charges in King County Superior Court.

Tracy A. Clark, 47, also faces a deadly-weapon enhancement to the charge that would add an automatic six months to any sentence. Without the weapons enhancement, the animal-cruelty charge carries a sentence of up to a year.

King County Superior Court Judge Sharon Armstrong this morning ordered Clark's bail to remain at $50,000.

Scatt showed up at The Cross Church in White Center about a decade ago and refused to leave. Over the years, he has become a fixture at the church and a "therapy cat" for men who live at the church while trying to kick drugs and alcohol.

On April 19, the church's Men's Ministry leader, Michael Stinnette, found the cat severely wounded in the parking lot, court documents say. One of the gashes was 7 inches long. Stinnette told police that Clark, one of the rehab residents, had bragged to another resident that he had "gutted" the cat, the documents say.

Clark allegedly told police that Scatt had attacked him first, so he threw the cat against a wall and knifed it. He showed the deputies scratches on his arm.

After treatment, Scatt was returned to the church last week.

During this morning's arraignment, members of Pasado's Safe Haven, a Sultan-based animal-protection organization that has rallied for Scatt's care, sat in the courtroom. Afterward, Pasado's operations director Brendan Brennen said, "I came down to see some justice done for Scatt the cat."

Judge Armstrong ordered Clark to avoid contact with Scatt.