[mrnoodle]

I'm voting on the already-dead theory. That's definitely something man-made on the cat's leg. Plus, notice that the cat's claws are retracted, there's blood on its mouth (but no visible injuries to the mule), and the overall ragdoll body position. Also a possible small-caliber entry wound where the neck joins the chest.

In the second pic, the cat's not even looking at the mule. Plus, you can see the metallic thingy leaning up against it.

And the story doesn't jive. Lion hounds that won't come near a lion because there's a pissed mule? Pfft. You couldn't keep a dog out of that fight if Satan himself was in it.

Dead cat in a trap, they let the mule play with it for a photo op.