Cat put under house arrest

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – A state judge on Tuesday spared the life of Lewis the cat, whose vicious attacks on neighbors landed his owner in court, but the terrorizing tomcat was ordered confined to the house at all times.

“There are no exceptions; none,” Judge Patrick Carroll told Lewis’ owner, Ruth Cisero.

If Lewis gets out, even accidentally, Cisero could face up to six months in prison, and Lewis’ fate would be in the hands of animal control officers.

Cisero had faced a charge of reckless endangerment because neighbors complained that the black-and-white cat’s long claws and stealth had allowed it to attack at least a half-dozen people.

The judge ordered Cisero to complete two years of probation, after which her record will be expunged.

Cisero had fought to keep Lewis and rejected a previous probation deal because it was contingent on euthanizing the cat.