The 25-year-old man suspected of killing several cats in the Tuscaloosa area told police he has been intentionally shooting felines with a pellet gun since a kitten bit him some time ago.

In court documents filed Tuesday, police said Yuxin Zhuang armed himself with a .22-caliber air rifle and shot a local business owner's cat, named Mittens, earlier this month.

Investigators were able to locate and arrest Zhuang early Tuesday morning, when he allegedly told officers that he had been bitten by an unrelated kitten days before the shooting in question. Zhuang said he has shot "several" area cats since he was bitten.

The deposition also said that the victimized cat did not die immediately and was able to run back to the business owner's property before succumbing to its wounds.

Zhuang was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class C felony, and was booked in the Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner called Zhuang a "serial cat killer" on his personal Facebook page and said the man is believed to be connected to many more feline deaths in the area.

The Tuscaloosa Police Department issued a release about the address and said further charges against Zhuang could be forthcoming. Anyone with information about the case or any potential cases is asked to contact Tuscaloosa Police at 205-349-2121 or CrimeStoppers at 205-752-STOP(7867).

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