The 3-year-old black cat feared to have been decapitated Southeast Portland had actually been killed by a car, then scavenged by local wildlife, Multnomah County Animal Services announced Friday.

Button, the feline discovered by her owner on Southeast Salmon Street near 28th Avenue, died of blunt force trauma, according to a necropsy conducted at Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

"While the loss of this cat is tragic and disturbing, we can believe that the cat's death and condition is not the result of a malicious person, but rather that of a vehicle accident and natural scavengers," Field Services Manager Randall Brown said in a statement. "Cat fatality cases such as this one are common during summer months, when predators and scavengers are more active in our communities."

Although the necropsy put to rest questions over Button's death, another southeast Portlander claims he'd found a decapitated cat nearby around the same time.

Portland Police Sgt. Pete Simpson said the bureau had also taken a report of a decapitated cat on the 7900 block of Southeast Raymond Street earlier this week.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

@edercampuzano

ecampuzano@oregonian.com