Accused cat killer Joseph Petcka says he was attacked by Norman, a declawed kitty?

Joseph Petcka, the "Sex and the City" bit actor who is accused of killing his girlfriend's cat last year, claims it was, well, in a word, self-defense.

But in his trial, which began this week in New York, it seems the actor who once played the Brawny paper towel guy will have some serious 'splaining to do. He is accused of killing a 7-pound feline named Norman on March 27, 2007.

According to the NY Daily News, his girlfriend, Lisa Altobelli, insists he acted in a jealous rage because he once accused her, 'You love Norman more than me!"

Yesterday it was revealed in court that the cat was, in fact, DECLAWED.

Ouch.

Today an ASPCA official is expected to testify that the kitty died of broken ribs and massive internal injuries.

Petcka faces two years in prison for charges of felony cruelty.

And can we just say that two years is not enough? Let this be a lesson to every pet-owner. If your cat or dog doesn't like someone, pay attention! There's a reason!

Photo: Norman at Christmas. Credit: Gothamist.com. (Hat tip to Jen Chung.)

Comments

[LaurenF]

What an absolute monster! I hope he rots!

On much lighter note, National Talk Like A Pirate Day is tomorrow, 9/19: http://tinyurl.com/6rdogr

[belgiumcach]

It's shameful what this person did. You know the cat, for whatever reason the man killed him, suffered and feared for his life. It is wrong.

[belgiumcach]

Does anyone have a site I can email or call to vote this guy GOES to jail?

[tomk]

Joseph "Petckilla"?

Ruined his career, and for what? But let's look on the bright side: Quite a pretty boy, with no doubt quite a pretty ass, should be the toast of his cell block. Watch out for that temper!

[not as bad as this]

This isn't as bad as what happened in my home town not too long ago.

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/09/18/top/55lo_080918_cats.txt

[BrianGriffinLovesYou]

Self-defense? It's a cat. Disgraceful. Prepare the cell. With a cat.

[ray]

I hope you die a painfull death YOU LOSER

[utxdoni]

Please PLEASE someone/ANYone who knows this worthless individual Joseph Petcka will you PLEASE teach him a lesson on how real men fight (they don't pick on innocent animals). He's so obviously got issues with being *small*--it's such a cliche' for a small endowed man to take it out on 'the world' for his inadequacies.

Generally I don't condone vigilante justice, but 2 years is not enough time for what he did to that poor blameless animal.

I want someone to hurl this ass across a room, and slam his head into a wall. He is a worthless waste of space and the world would be a better place without Joseph Petcka. He doesn't deserve death, he deserves to be crippled for the rest of his days on this planet.

SOMEONE GET PETCKA!!! PLEASE

(how ironic...petcka must mean pet killer)

[susan]

This man is the most vile piece of human extrament there is. Two years is not nearly enough for what he did. This is a violent, evil man who deseves to have happen to him what he did to that poor little kitty. I wish I could be the one to dish out the punishment to this prick. I hope he gets iced in prison.

[KK]

I NEVER want to see this bastard on TV, ever! There better be jail time served for this!

[Kav]

Joe Petkilla is horribly evil, horribly. Look at that little fluffy guy. Declawed too. He's cockroach vomit. Or is that degrading cockroach vomit?

[CR]

Showed that cat who's boss.

[Maezeppa]

How we treat the weakest and most defenseless among us is the measure of our goodness.

[Laure]

Let us pray he gets a clear thinking judge and jury that realize that this creep is sick and violent, and hopefully Norman's cruel and painful death will not be in vain, he may save a child or wife from torture. There must be justice for this poor beings murder. PLEASE!

[Dizal]

I hope Joseph Petcka rots in HELL! He better not get away with this!

[Laure]

PLEASE boycott any film, play, commercial, anything this slimeball does. Make his career vaporize...he can clean our sewers- filthy pig.

[CM]

I read on another site that Norman's injuries included broken teeth, severed tongue, & broken ribs. This is another example of criminal behavior which can be directed towards people. The animal cruelty laws need to become stiffer. Or, I hope he gets everything Norman got. A-hole.

[Norma]

Ladies, please don't leave your male parasites home alone with any of your loved ones. This includes children as well as pets. Boredom, stupidity, laziness, and self-worth issues make for a dangerous mix: the next thing you know, your child is molested, your baby is shaken, or your cat is kicked to death. If the male creature in your life is not employed, you don't want that creature in your house.

[newagepope]

hey now norma. employment isn't really the dangerous qualifier here. I'm pretty sure it's the douche-bag-quotient*, which ironically attracts more women the higher it gets.

[in the know in nyc]

there is much more to this story, the accuser picked mr petcka up in a bar(this is nyc...that's crazy behavior) and took him home upon their first meeting, the accuser works for a magazine and has abused her media contacts to launch a personal attack after being rejected when Petcka was not making more serious commitments, norman who was known as norman bates, as his owner boasted that he had attacked more than one person in the past including delivery persons who refused to deliver packages to her apartment... Google Cat Attacks and you will get 350,000+ results and in serious cases the cats are all put down by the authorities...these two adults both need to grow up and stop picking up people in bars and wasting tax payers money with their drunken drama...who knows which of these two killed this vicious cat (as there are no witnesses) owned by an irresposible owner...petcka should sue her for the attack of his hand, harm to his career and misuse of her press privileges....and he should stop picking up cheap women in bars. we all hope they used condoms.

[Jones]

In a PERFECT WORLD, I would love to see that 205 Lb sociopath have the kind of injuries he inflicted on Norman, inflicted on him, so he could huddle in a ball under a dresser, as Norman did, and die a slow and painful death. PETCKA'S EX GIRLFRIEND GOT HER FINGERS CUT OFF IN A HEAVY, METAL LOFT DOOR, WHEN HE SLAMMED HER HAND IN THE DOOR, IN A RAGE, AS SHE TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM HIM AND HIS ABUSIVE TEMPER! Police were called, but the woman refused to go to press charges or go to trial, BECAUSE SHE WAS AFRAID OF HIM. Later, when he assaulted Norman, Normans owner refused to press charges for the same reason!!! Her vet called Humane Police, and when Normans owner was too afraid of Petcka to press charges, the Humane Police pressed charges. PET ABUSE IS A SERIOUS MATTER. Every serial killer known in history STARTED BY TORTURING AND KILLING ANIMALS. Then they moved along, to doing the same to children and women and men. A DECLAWED 7LB CAT IS NO THREAT TO A 205 LB MAN! I am a woman, with 45 years of cat experience, and even a feral cat will not attack you in a violent way, unless you corner him, and give him no way to run away. PETCKA IS AN ABUSIVE MONSTER WHO NEEDS TO BE LOCKED IN JAIL FOREVER, TO HOPEFULLY GET SOME OF THE VIOLENCE HE GAVE TO NORMAN, BACK AT HIM FROM HIS FELLOW INMATES.

[Jones]

TWO YEARS IS NOT ENOUGH. HE DESERVES TO GET JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE GAVE TO NORMAN.

[maxiemom]

Showed the cat who's boss, CR? What kind of vile piece of filth are you? You should be locked away with this trash: sounds like you've acted just like this monster, who, I hope, shares a cell with some very strong, very large men who find pretty boys like him appealing. No doubt he'll be quite a hit with all the guys. In fact, he'll probably be the most popular piece in the prison.

[Kat]

Petcka (Petkiller) burn in hell you murder. I hope you drop the soap or get shived in the shower you deserve so much more.

[JP]

Human garbage like him should be sent to prison far longer than just two years. Anyone that attacks defenseless animals or people deserves to be put away a long time.