A Whitehorse woman who abandoned her aging cat on the edge of the city has been fined and barred from keeping pets for two years.

Michelle Baudry pleaded guilty in territorial court this week under the city's Animal Protection Act for abandoning her unlicensed cat, and failing to provide medical care.

The incident happened in July on the Fish Lake Road. A witness reported seeing a woman dump a cat from her vehicle, then run over the animal as she drove away.

The cat died the next day.

Bylaw chief Dave Pruden says she should have taken her sick old cat to the vet.

"The animal was unhealthy and she was 'returning it to nature,' and our view on that is that's not acceptable," he said.

Baudry must pay $800 in fines and must donate an additional $500 to the Mae Bachur animal shelter emergency fund.

Her sentence includes a two year ban from owning or caring for any pets in the City of Whitehorse.