Horrific cat torture in Queens sparks outrage from LI animal advocate

A Queens man is accused of torturing his ex-girlfriend’s cat to death in a gruesome attack — a case that a Long Island animal welfare advocate says underscores the urgent need for stronger cruelty laws in New York.

Prosecutors said Jalen Gonzalez, 23, of Woodhaven killed the animal inside a Woodhaven apartment by violently attacking it during a domestic dispute, leaving it with catastrophic injuries. He was indicted last week and pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, criminal mischief and other related crimes for killing the cat, named Kitty.

“This is one of the most horrific acts of animal cruelty imaginable and reflects what experts, law enforcement, and the FBI have long recognized: violence against animals is inextricably linked to violence against humans,” said John DiLeonardo, director of Humane Long Island.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said the incident unfolded shortly after midnight on Jan. 12, following an argument between the couple. Authorities allege the woman fled to get help and returned with her uncle to find the man attacking the animal.

Gonzalez inflicted devastating injuries upon Kitty, prosecutors said. During the attack, the cat sustained a crushed skull, multiple fractures across its body and what was described as a partial internal decapitation, Katz said. The cat’s hind legs were broken and mangled, she added, among other troubling injuries.

Gonzalez was arrested at the scene.

Katz described the case as one of the most disturbing her office has prosecuted.

“Humane Long Island has seen time and time again that in nearly every case we investigate, vulnerable children, spouses, and even employees come forward about being mistreated as well,” DiLeonardo said. “Animal abuse is a cowardly crime that often goes hand in hand with the exploitation of other vulnerable individuals.”

DiLeonardo called the alleged sadistic behavior the product of an individual who is “a clear danger to the community.”

Under current New York law, aggravated animal cruelty carries a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, far short, DiLeonardo said, of what many convicted animal abusers deserve.

DiLeonardo pointed to cases on Long Island that he said reflect similar patterns, including incidents involving alleged animal abuse alongside other forms of neglect or violence.

“These are not isolated cases,” he said. “They are part of a pattern that demands stronger laws and stronger enforcement.”

_{Top: Photo by Matthew LeJune.}