5 Cats Dead After Oakdale Man Intentionally Set Fire To House: Police

STILLWATER, MN — A 42-year-old Oakdale man was charged Tuesday after five cats died in a house fire. Joshua L. Buhl faces one count of first-degree arson and multiple counts of felony animal cruelty.

Buhl was under the influence of methamphetamine when he intentionally started a fire at his home Sunday night, according to police. Five cats died in the house fire, authorities said.

Police were called to the 1100 block of Granada Ave in Oakdale just after 11:15 p.m. on Jan. 22 after neighbors called 911 to report the house on fire.

Police said they found Buhl standing outside of his home holding a lighter.

"I started the fire," Buhl told them, according to authorities. He also mentioned narcotics in his pocket, police said.

Buhl began behaving "erratically," and officers took him into custody, according to authorities.

Fire crews arrived and extinguished the blaze. They identified the living room as the primary burn area, but there was extensive smoke damage to the entire main level, investigators said.

Crews found a red gas can in the home and noted that the front door was barricaded shut, according to authorities.

Authorities recovered four or five living cats, and they were transferred to animal control, police said.

Authorities later executed a search warrant on the home and found five dead cats, according to the criminal complaint. During that search, officers reported hearing the cries of a cat inside the residence but could not find it, according to police.

Traps were set and recovery efforts are ongoing, authorities said.

In a police interview, Buhl said he and about 12 cats were living in the home, the criminal complaint states.

Buhl believed that hackers were out to get him and that his brother stole his identity, according to police. He said he started the fire to get law enforcement's attention and did not consider that cats could die in the fire, the criminal complaint states.