Killing a cat - Not funny.
Artillery piece malfunctions - Not funny.
Killing a cat, inside a house (i.e. not aimed at the cat) with an artillery piece from more than 2 miles away - Come on.... That's sort of funny.
It brings up all sorts of funny, but bad taste comments, like...
That'll teach them not to get their cat licensed!
Or the military successfully tested a new "purr-seeking" artillery round today.
Mark
It needs sound effects to bring out the humor, one of those Monty-Pythonesque, ‘stepped on the cat’ screeches.
“MREEEOW!”
See? Works so much better now.