West Ham defender Kurt Zouma has said he is “deeply sorry” after a disturbing video surfaced online of him kicking and slapping a cat.
Zouma, 27, is seen in the clip dropping, kicking and slapping the Bengal cat, while laughter can be heard in the background. He then chases it before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head.
The footage, first published by The Sun, is believed to have been filmed inside the defender’s £2m mansion before being posted to Snapchat on Sunday afternoon – a day after Zouma appeared for West Ham in the FA Cup.
The football club condemned Zouma’s actions in a strongly-worded statement following the publication of the clip. “West Ham United unreservedly condemns the actions of our player, Kurt Zouma, in the video that has circulated,” the club 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.”
The France international and former Chelsea player released a statement apologising for his behaviour. He told The Sun: “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 RSPCA issued a warning against animal cruelty following the publication of the footage. “This is a very upsetting video,” a spokesperson for the charity said. “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.”
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