Clues in cat killings; San Jose authorities ask for public's help

SAN JOSE, Calif. (BCN) - Investigators are seeking the public's help in identifying the owners of a cat and two cat collars in an animal cruelty case out of San Jose's Cambrian Park neighborhood, Santa Clara County district attorney's
officials said Friday.

The animal and collars were found on Robert Farmer, 24, who has been charged with three felony counts of animal cruelty, a felony count of attempted animal cruelty and a misdemeanor count of battery, Santa Clara

County Deputy District Attorney Alexandra Ellis said.

Farmer was arrested on the morning of Oct. 8 when he was found asleep with a dead cat hidden in a car parked near Hillsdale and Leigh avenues, police said.

He was identified as a suspect in the kidnapping of an orange tabby cat named Gogo based on tips from the public and video surveillance footage that showed a male suspect luring the feline, according to police.

The 24-year-old was arraigned on the charges days later and remains in custody on $75,000 bail. He is scheduled for a plea hearing on Dec. 15 at the Hall of Justice.

Farmer is alleged to have abducted cats starting in mid-September and some of the felines were either found injured or dead, Ellis said.

The animal found dead with Farmer is described as an orange, long-haired tabby cat. It is a spayed female who is between 3 to 5 years old that was missing before the morning of Oct. 8, prosecutors said.The collars both have small bells on them. One is black with a white chain link pattern that runs down the middle. The other is pink and coated in glitter.

Anyone with information on the missing cat or collars is asked to contact Detective Lauren Erickson at 3904@sanjoseca.gov.