The Sheriff's Department said a necropsy was performed on the cat to see how it died.

"This isn't being taken lightly," sheriff's spokesman John McDonald told the Los Angeles Times Wednesday. "This is a pretty serious matter."

The allegations could turn into a felony animal abuse charge, the newspaper said.

The alleged incident took place at the Theo Lacy Jail, which has been the subject of a grand jury probe into lax enforcement of rules and abuse on the part of the correctional deputies.

The newspaper said allegations include the April 1 death of an inmate who was hit by a stun gun. Deputies also allegedly recruited inmates to act as their enforcers while they goofed off.