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"This was not malicious at all and you have to feel for the man because he only wanted to trap the groundhog," said Greenwich Police Lt. David Nemecek.
Thomas Bollinger, 58, was charged with four state violations including trapping without a license, setting an illegal trap, failing to place proper identification on a trap and trapping out of season, said Nemecek.
Nemecek said the real lesson is residents need to know they can't trap without a license and special permits in some cases: "If you have a nuisance animal, call a professional or go through the proper channels of getting permits," he added.
The cat's death came to light on June 9 when they received a call about a dead cat. An investigation found that Bollinger had put a trap out and the cat was caught, police said.
Nemecek said the department was required to call state conservation officers, which led to the charges being filed.
"This is just so unfortunate," he said. "The man caught what he didn't want to catch."
Bollinger was released without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on June 25
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