Police Take "Marinating" Cat Off Menu, Save it from Horrific Fate, Arrest Owner for Animal Cruelty

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CBS/AP) A random traffic stop led  police to arrest a Cheektowaga, N.Y. man on animal cruelty charges, after they say they discovered a live cat "marinating" in oil and peppers in the trunk of his car.

Police stopped 51-year-old Gary Korkuc to ticket him for running a stop sign. But before Korkuc could make it home for Sunday dinner, police claim they heard the cat meowing which prompted them to search the trunk.

What they found was 4-year-old Navarro staring back at them in a cage - his black and white fur drenched with oil, crushed red peppers and chili peppers.

Korkuc's "reasoning"?

He supposedly claimed Navarro was 'ill-tempered.'  Police said Korkuc told them he was going to cook Navarro, as well as sharing other tidbits that didn't make any sense, including that his neutered male cat was pregnant.

Korkuc was charged with animal cruelty and later released.

An appalled spokesperson for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals described Korkuc's alleged crime as "disgusting," according to The Buffalo News. "I've never heard of anything like this before," she said.

Animal advocates cleaned the helpless pet and put him up for adoption.