STAFFORD, N.J. -- A teenager who set a cat on fire to reportedly remove a smell has been charged with animal cruelty, according to a report.

The 17-year-old Watertown boy, whose name was not released, had taken the cat after he offered to help its owners find a new home for their pet, said Michael Melchionne, Stafford's animal control officer. The owners -- a mother and son who both have serious health problems -- felt they could no longer properly care for the cat, who also has some medical troubles.

Melchionne said the teen rubbed gasoline on the cat and then ignited it, WNBC-TV reported. The cat -- which sustained serious burns and other wounds -- was able to escape and returned to its Stafford home several days later, but it could not be saved and was euthanized.

"Without getting into specifics, the excuse he offered as to why he set the cat on fire was that the cat smelled and in order to get the smell off the cat, that's what he did," Melchionne said.

The teen could face up to 18 months in prison or a juvenile detention center if convicted. Melchionne said the cat's owners were acquainted with the teen and he often did odd jobs for them.