You argue that the government has no place getting involved, unless the cat was someone elses property. OK, just so I understand you clearly. If the cat was "owned" by someone other than this freak, it is a crime, basically destruction of private property, or something to that degree. Otherwise, if the cat was "owned" by this freak, or if the cat was a stray, hence, "unowned", then no crime was committed.
By this same logic, it is OK to torture and kill human beings, since they are not "property" that can be owned by another, at least in this country.
No, because the protection of human beings is the sole reason laws exist. It is the core reason for laws.