Torture and mutilation of cats today, could it be much worse tomorrow?

PORTLAND, Ore. - A string of gruesome cat mutilations has investigators hurrying to find the abusers, especially since they know that animal abuse often escalates into something worse.

On Portland State University's campus, five cats were tortured and mutilated recently and at a Gresham apartment complex, a pregnant cat and her unborn kittens were mutilated.

According to Dr. Frank Colistro, a criminal profiler, people who hurt animals often go on to hurt people.

"This is somebody engaging in behavior because he, and it's almost certainly a him, finds that gratifying," he said. "So how scary is that?"

Investigators do not believe the two mutilation cases are linked, so there could be several animal abusers out there.

The Oregon Humane Society is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit or culprits. Anyone with information can call a tip hotline at (503) 285-7722 , ext. 412.

Aggravated animal abuse, which is defined as maliciously killing, or intentionally or knowingly torturing an animal, is a felony in Oregon, punishable by up to five years in jail and a $125,000 fine.