Cat beaten by roommate
Colorado Springs, CO (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Feb 4, 2010
County: El Paso

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Erik Raymond Eisentraut

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A Fort Carson officer is due in court Wednesday on allegations that he caused serious injuries to his roommate's cat, then left to attend a hockey game without seeking help for the animal.

Erik R. Eisentraut, 30, is charged with misdemeanor animal abuse in the Feb. 4 incident, court records show.

The pet cat, a 2-year-old chocolate point Birman named Maggie, suffered at least two fractured ribs and a concussion. Jennifer Branch, the cat's owner, said the cat suffered permanent brain damage.

According to investigative documents from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, Eisentraut initially told an El Paso County Animal Control officer that a guitar case fell on the animal while Eisentraut was alone in the Colorado Springs apartment he shared with Branch. He later changed the story and said he hit the cat on its forehead with his palm out of anger because the cat tried to bite and scratch him, the documents show.

After the cat was injured, Eisentraut met Branch at a hockey game in Colorado Springs and allegedly never mentioned what happened. Branch said the cat was unresponsive when she got home. She took the animal to a pet emergency room, and a veterinarian there contacted authorities with suspicions about the injuries.

Eisentraut told the animal control officer he thought the cat was "playing possum," the documents show.

Despite extensive treatment -- with veterinarian's bills at an estimated $7,000 -- the cat may never fully recover, Branch said.

"She suffers from seizures, which will be permanent. She suffers two types of brain damage, so she's unable to determine when she's full, so she overeats. She does not walk well. She doesn't jump properly."

Branch added: "Her personality's changed. She doesn't trust people. When she gets upset, she nips at you, whereas she never did before."

Eisentraut is set for a pre-trial hearing Wednesday morning in El Paso County court in Colorado Springs.

His attorney, Trenton Novak of Colorado Springs, didn't immediately respond to a telephone message left at his office.

According to his facebook.com profile, Eisentraut is a 1st lieutenant at Fort Carson. Branch said Eisentraut serves with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Fort Carson did not immediately respond to a request to confirm that information.

Branch said Eisentraut had recently moved in after she placed an advertisement seeking a roommate on craigslist.com. He moved out after the incident.

Case Updates

References

• « Back to Search Results
  « CO State Animal Cruelty Map
  « More cases in El Paso County, CO

  Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.
  
  For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.