(Stillwater) -- A Payne County jury has acquitted a man of beating his girlfriend's cat in 2007 at her Stillwater residence where he was then living.

James Michael Davis, 47, who subsequently moved to Enid, was found innocent last week of injuring the cat by beating it with a broom handle.

Stillwater Police Officer Jeff Dillon wrote in an affidavit, "During my contact with Mr. Davis, he stated that we were taking this case too serious. He stated several times that he did not commit domestic abuse and that it was just a cat."

Davis was arrested at his girlfriend's residence about an hour after the officer was dispatched Sept. 11, 2007, to the Cat Clinic in Stillwater, the affidavit said.

"Upon my arrival (at the Cat Clinic), I met with Sherie Fisch in the reception area. She had a small child with her, and the child said, 'Jim hurt my kitty,'" Dillon wrote in his affidavit.

Fisch, who was crying and very upset, told the officer that when she came home from work, her boyfriend told her he had some bad news, the affidavit said.

Davis allegedly admitted to her that he had beaten the cat, which he said was in the bathroom and looked like it wouldn't survive, the affidavit said.

Fisch found the cat convulsing with blood coming from its eyes and mouth, the affidavit said.

"As Ms. Fisch attempted to care for the cat, she stated she could hear Mr. Davis loading his shotgun in the bedroom," the affidavit said.

"Davis wanted permission to shoot the cat, which she told him to stay away from," the affidavit said.

Fisch finally was able to get the cat into a transport kennel to take him to the Cat Clinic, where the veterinarian said it appeared the cat would survive its apparent blow to the head, the affidavit said.

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