Police in the US were shocked when they pulled over a motorist - and found a live cat 'marinating' in oil and peppers in his boot. Officers in Buffalo, New York state, heard the cat meowing when they stopped Gary Korkuc, 51, for running a stop sign. They checked the boot and found four-year-old Navarro in a cage, his fur covered with oil, salt, crushed red peppers and chili peppers, reports the Buffalo News. Korkuc allegedly told police he was planning to cook Navarro because he was “ill-tempered.” He also told officers the neutered male cat was “pregnant.”

Navarro has been taken in by local animal rescue workers who have cleaned him up and plan to put him up for adoption. Korkuc has been charged with animal cruelty. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spokeswoman Gina Browning said: “It’s disgusting. It surprises me every day what people are capable of when it comes to violence, whether it is animals or people. I’ve never heard of anything like this before.” But she had nothing but praise for the police—and Navarro: “We can learn lessons in resiliency. He is purring away and getting ready for his next checkup. Thank God that police heard him. Thank God those cops took the initiative.”