What an idiotic thing to say.
Home owner asks her BIL ‘Is that (unknown) cat dead?”
BIL says, “No, but it’s sick.” Calls police.
Officer approaches cat. It doesn’t move, and all cats run away from strangers.
Officer realizes cat is sick, possibly rabid, and kills it.
Officer makes major mistake by not calling animal control. Officer should have made sure that no one approaches the cat until animal control removes it.
Officer, BIL, homeowner and the cat family need to be tested. By this time, they should all be getting medicine.
Fish on!