The New Lambton teenager who cut a cat's paw and buried it in the backyard of a Hamilton South home last month appeared at the Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday for his trial.

Nineteen-year-old Thomas Edward Clode is facing a maximum five-year sentence if found guilty of torturing an animal and another two-year sentence for cruelty to animals. He has been charged with both offenses, which also carried a penalty of $2,200 fine.

In his first court appearance, Clode did not enter a plea. The next hearing will be in about two weeks.

Police arrested Clode after receiving tips that he cut the paw of the neighbor's cat. Police found the paw at the backyard of an unoccupied home on Turnbull Street at Hamilton South.

The police dug up parts of the backyard to look for the cat's body but found nothing.

Clode was granted conditional bail after his arrest.