Shocking moment West Ham footballer Kurt Zouma KICKS and slaps Bengal cat across his £2million London home in horrifying Snapchat video that could see him JAILED
- Kurt Zouma, 27, has been filmed on Snapchat kicking and slapping cat in home
- Defender is heard laughing as he chases cat around kitchen and dining room
- He is also seen throwing a pair of shoes at the cat as it frantically runs away
- Video was taken on Sunday – day after he played in FA Cup match for West Ham
This is the shocking moment Premier League footballer Kurt Zouma kicks and slaps a Bengal cat across his home in a horrifying Snapchat video that could see him jailed.
The West Ham defender, 27, is heard laughing as he chases the cat around his £2million London home in a video taken on Sunday – the day after he appeared for the club in their FA Cup victory over non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
The footage is believed to have been filmed by his brother Yoan, and shows Zouma dropping the cat before kicking it across the kitchen floor.
He also chases the cat around the kitchen and dining room in front of a child, all while the person capturing the video laughs hysterically.
A separate clip, obtained by The Sun, also shows the French international throwing a pair of shoes at the cat before slapping it out of a child’s arms.
Zouma was said to have been angered after the cat caused a mess inside his house.
West Ham have said the club will ‘deal with the matter internally. while Zouma has also said he is ‘deeply sorry’.
The Snapchat video, captioned with ‘Sa commence’ showed Zouma kicking the cat across his kitchen floor
A separate clip also showed the West Ham defender slapping the cat out of a child’s hands
Zouma in action for West Ham in an FA Cup match against Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday
In a statement, Zouma said: ‘I want to apologise for my actions. 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.’
The first of the clips was captioned with ‘sa commence’, which translated to ‘it is starting’.
A second clip was captioned with a series of laughing emojis.
A statement from West Ham said: ‘West Ham United unreservedly condemns the actions of our player, Kurt Zouma, in the video that has circulated.
‘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.’
Animal charities have condemned the footage, which could see Zouma face a criminal probe.
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: ‘This is a very upsetting video. It’s never acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal, for punishment or otherwise.
‘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.’
In June last year, the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty, which includes the abuse of cats, rose from six months to five years.
Offenders can also receive an unlimited fine.
Advertisement
Share or comment on this article:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10487353/Shocking-moment-Premier-League-footballer-Kurt-Zouma-KICKS-slaps-Bengal-cat-London-home.html
