A cathedral's spire collapses, revealing an ancient mummified cat. How did it get there?

The cat's DNA doesn't match any known species. Who put it there, and why?
In 1852, the spire of the Cathedral of the Assumption in Ireland collapsed, revealing an ancient mummified cat sealed within the structure. Carbon dating places the cat at approximately the same age as the cathedral itself. However, DNA analysis surprisingly shows that the cat doesn't match any known species. The cathedral builders are known, but their records say nothing about the cat. How did a seemingly extinct type of cat end up mummified inside a cathedral spire?
Location: Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, Ireland
Year: 1852
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