Judge Rules Man Isn’t Cruel in Killing His Neighbor’s Cat

MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. — A judge has dismissed a cruelty charge against a conservation officer who shot and killed a neighbor’s cat and invoked a little-known law requiring game wardens to use deadly force to keep cats from hunting protected birds.

Stephen J. Murza said he shot Sam, a declawed orange-and-white cat, because the cat was stalking a female cardinal in his backyard.

His defense relied on a section of New Jersey fish, game and wildlife laws that directs game wardens to “humanely destroy” any cat found hunting or killing protected species of birds and animals. All birds except those hunted as game are considered protected.

Asked why he did not just yell at the cat or go outside and shoo it away, Murza said, “The cat would have just come back later and hunted birds when I was away.”