Man given 120 days for torturing kitten

SANTA ANA, Calif. - A man who tortured his kitten by repeatedly dunking it in water and hurling it against a concrete wall was sentenced yesterday to 120 days in jail, a punishment that cat lovers complained was too lenient.

Although prosecutors argued that Timothy Alan Freeman, 45, should serve at least two years, an Orange County Superior Court Judge William L. Evans sentenced him to county jail, four years' probation, psychological counseling and a ban on owning pets.

Evans said he based his decision on Freeman's lack of criminal record and the testimony of friends of the former physician's assistant. The cat survived the attack.