Two men were arrested for beheading a seven-week-old kitten with a hatchet, authorities said Tuesday.

Multnomah County Sheriff's Office photo

Accused animal killer Cody Allen Scheewe

After allegedly severing the kitten’s head, Cody Allen Scheewe and Robert Wagner then threw the decapitated head and body over a fence, officials said.

There is also evidence of prior animal cruelty in their background, according to Kathy Covey, a spokeswoman for the Cat Adoption Team, the Pacific Northwest's largest non-profit, no-kill cat shelter.

Scheewe and Wagner were charged with two counts of aggravated animal abuse.

The connection between animal abuse and human violence is well documented, Covey said. In fact, in 1970, The FBI recognized the connection when its analysis of the lives of serial killers suggested most had killed or tortured animals as children.

Other research shows consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of more common forms of violence, including child abuse, spouse abuse and elder abuse.

In Oregon, aggravated animal abuse in the first degree is a Class C felony and carries with it penalties of up to five years in jail and up to $125,000 in fines.