A Long Beach resident was arrested early Wednesday morning on suspicion of strangling a cat, according to a news release from the Redondo Beach Police Department.

Witnesses told police that Sergei Smirnoff, 23, strangled the cat inside his girlfriend’s garage, located in the 2300 block of Carnegie Lane in North Redondo Beach.

“It appears that during a fit of rage, Smirnoff strangled the cat, which resulted in the death of the cat,” RBPD Sgt. Shawn Freeman wrote in the news release.

Investigators believe the cat was a rescue from an animal shelter; however, there’s no indication that Smirnoff adopted the cat to strangle it, Freeman said.

Smirnoff was booked into Redondo Beach jail on suspicion of animal cruelty and is being held on $20,000 bail, Freeman said.

Smirnoff’s court appearance is scheduled for Monday.