Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a mysterious case of a kitten purchased at a yard sale who was later dropped off dead at the same address.

A woman purchased a six-week-old cat from a home on M-37 in Mayfield Township near Kingsley Saturday. The homeowners called police at 5:30pm to report the kitten had been dropped off in their driveway, placed dead in a box.

The incident sparked a rumor on Facebook that the cat had been tortured and skinned, a rumor that appears to be unsubstantiated, says Lt. Chris Barsheff. The cat appeared to have suffered a head injury and there was no evidence of torture. The kitten was buried but its body was recovered so that a vet could determine the cause of death.

Barsheff says the identity of the woman who purchased the kitten and her motives are unknown. He said detectives were attempting to find the woman.

“We can’t think of a reason why this would happen,” he says. “There’s no explanation. That’s why we want to talk to the person who bought the cat.”