Kurt Zouma's pet cats have been pictured doing well in RSPCA care on the day he pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences.
The West Ham United defender, 27, and brother Yoan, 24, both appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday. Footage emerged of Kurt kicking and slapping one of the animals earlier this year leading to the animals being taken by the RSPCA.
Kurt, 27, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing “unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, by kicking and slapping a cat". Yoan - who filmed the attack and posted it on social media - pleaded guilty to one offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring Kurt Zouma to commit an offence.
In newly released images released after the hearing on Monday, the two tabby Bengal felines can be seen playing with RSPCA staff at a secret location.
The RSPCA launched an investigation after the video was reported in February showing Kurt chasing a cat around a house, kicking and slapping him. Three days later, Kurt Zouma’s two Bengal cats were seized by police and taken to be examined by a vet.
It is not clear which cat was seen on the video being attacked and both were taken into the care of the RSPCA, where they are due to be re-homed.
An independent vet, who assessed the cats after they were seized by animal welfare experts and also watched the video, said there were no remaining signs of injuries to the felines when he examined them. But the expert added that being hit and kicked would have caused suffering, while being chased would have caused fear or distress.
In his statement, he said: “In my opinion, the force of the kicking into the abdomen of a cat and the slapping of the cat to the head, both of which were with force, as seen in the video recording would have without any doubt in my mind have cause soft tissue trauma, pain and discomfort to the cat [or cats] on the day but any evidence of that soft tissue trauma would be very unlikely to have been found three days later.
“I have no doubt that Kurt Zouma knew or would be expected to know that kicking a cat into its abdomen would cause or was likely to cause pain, discomfort and distress or worse injuries. It is my opinion that there can be no justified reason to treat a cat or cats in this manner.”
Hazel Stevens, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court the cruelty seen in the video was ''shocking'' and ''disgusting''. Both cats were signed over by Kurt Zouma at court so will soon begin their search for a new home.
In mitigation, the court heard both brothers had received abuse and threats online. The court also heard that Kurt Zouma had been fined £250,000 by his club, which comes to two weeks' wages.
Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy, slammed the defendants' attitude to the video.
He said: “It’s never acceptable to treat an animal in this way and we were shocked when the video was first brought to our attention.
“What makes this case even more sad is the way the video was filmed and shared, making light of such cruelty. We hope this case will serve as a reminder that all animals deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion and respect, and that we will not tolerate cruelty.”
Sentencing of the pair has been adjourned for reports from probation and they will have to go back to the same court next month.
