A hospital porter who slit the throat of a cat called Molly on her owner's doorstep has escaped jail with a suspended sentence.
Czech Jaroslav Trnecka killed black and white Molly with a Swiss Army knife - and also slashed the throat of a second cat Charlie, who survived.
Trnecka claimed he carried out the horrific atacks because he was depressed about being short of cash.
Prosecutor David Glass, for the RSPCA, told Cheltenham Magistrates that Molly's owner, Jane Berry, came home to Langdon Road, Cheltenham, to find the loving cat purring and waiting for her on the doorstep.
She fussed long-haired Molly and went inside - but when she opened the door five minutes later her beloved pet was lying dead in a pool of blood.
"She stroked the cat and went into the house, but as she was leaving to go out, she found Molly dead on the doorstep. There was a lot of blood, and it was clear the cat's throat had been cut," Mr Glass said.
"Vets found she had been killed with two strokes of a sharp blade being used in a saw-like motion. The carotid artery and jugular vein had been cut.
"They also found the cat had damage to her claws, from scrabbling, and a blow to the face, proving there had been a frantic struggle before the cat died, and that she had suffered considerably."
Trnecka, of Carroll Grove, Hester's Way, Cheltenham, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unneccesssary suffering to the cats, under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, on September 26 and October 4 last year.
Christine Graham, defending, said: "He does not remember what happened on those days and has no recollection.
"Drugs are not a problem, but he was drinking at the time. He says that he was depressed, because although he was working three hours a week at the hospital, he couldn't get full time work."
Magistrates sentenced Trnecka to four months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 18 months probation supervision. He was also ordered to pay back £395 in vets bills to Wendy Ives, as well as £100 prosecution costs.
No compensation order was made in relation to Mrs Berry.
Chairman of the magistrates' bench, Ian Hime, told Trnecka: "These were two separate and very awful offences, in which you took a pen-knife and slit the throats of two pet cats.
"The second attack was particularly violent and Molly died. Without doubt you caused pain and suffering to the animals and anguish to the owners.
"We have continued concerns about the danger you pose to animals and indeed the public. But we believe that it is most important that you address your mental health issues, and that this can best be achieved with the help of the probation service.
"We take into account your remorse, your early guilty plea and the fact that you have no previous convictions."
