West Ham footballer Kurt Zouma has said he is 'deeply sorry' after a video emerged of him slapping and kicking his pet cat.
The RSPCA has spoken out about the 'very upsetting' footage and reaffirmed its commitment to investigate any complaints about animal welfare.
West Ham has also condemned the actions of their player and said the matter will be dealt with internally.
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Defender Zouma, who left Chelsea to join the club in August 2021, could be seen kicking and slapping the cat in the widely-shared clip.
The 27-year-old France international appears to chase the cat before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head.
The video, originally posted on Snapchat, is captioned with laughing emojis, and laughter can be heard in the background.
According to Sky Sports, the Met Police has decided not to investigate the incident.
A spokesperson for animal welfare charity the RSPCA described the footage as "very upsetting".
"It’s never acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal, for punishment or otherwise,” they said.
“We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.”
West Ham said the football club "unreservedly condemns the actions of our player".
In a statement, the team said: “We have spoken to Kurt and will be dealing with the matter internally, but we would like to make it clear that we in no way condone cruelty towards animals.”
Zouma also released a statement, admitting that he "sincerely regrets" his behaviour.
“I want to apologise for my actions," the footballer said.
"There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret.
“I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video. I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy.
“They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.”
Dr Maggie Roberts, Director of Veterinary Services at Cats Protection, issued a statement which read: “Causing any animal unnecessary suffering is a criminal offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Any person seen or suspected of treating an animal badly, whether this is physical violence, neglect or any other form of cruelty should be reported to the RSPCA.
“The police work closely with the RSPCA to investigate cases of animal cruelty.
“Kicking, hitting and slapping cats or any other animal is not only illegal but will cause serious bodily harm. This cat may have been subjected to broken bones or other injuries through being mistreated in this way.
“We noticed that some people viewing the video online thought it was funny. We can assure them that this is not a laughing matter.”
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