Case report: Injury plausibility for skull fractures in two kittens

A forensic postmortem examination (FPME) was performed on two kittens. In each case, investigators were given conflicting stories describing how the kitten died. The goal for each FPME was to determine the cause of death with the hope of also determining which story was more plausible. In both cases, animal control officers responded to a call to retrieve a deceased kitten. In the first case, the kitten's owner reported the kitten had died when thrown to the floor by the owner's boyfriend; the boyfriend reported he had accidentally dropped the kitten. In the second case, an ex-girlfriend of the owner reported the owner had crushed the kitten's head against a wall; the owner stated the kitten had come between a wall and a piece of furniture being moved, causing its accidental death. Findings from the radiographs, FPME, and histopathology showed the cause of death in the first case to be blunt force trauma resulting in a non-pathological skull fracture and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The distribution and type of injuries were consistent with being thrown against the floor and were not consistent with an accidental fall. Findings from the radiographs and FPME of the second case also showed blunt force trauma to the head leading to TBI and death, but could not determine which story was more plausible due to a limited investigation resulting in a lack of information necessary to make the distinction. Together, the two cases demonstrate the importance of a FPME in cases of suspicious death while also demonstrating the limitations of FPME alone in determining whether a death is accidental or malicious. They also demonstrate the limitations of current literature on animal abuse and the need for more studies and case reports specific to animal maltreatment.