West Ham's Kurt Zouma 'deeply sorry' for kicking cat; netizens remain furious

Defender Kurt Zouma has issued an apology after West Ham condemned a shocking video of him kicking his cat across the kitchen floor. Clips, obtained by The Sun, show the 27-year-old Frenchman slapping his pet's face and another hurling a pair of shoes as the cat tries to escape. Zouma's brother, Yoan, filmed the disturbing footage posted on Snapchat on Sunday afternoon, a day after West Ham's FA Cup fourth-round win at Kidderminster.

Following the incident, the defender apologised for the attack and insisted the incident was an isolated one. "I want to apologise for my actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret," Zouma told The Sun.

"I 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," he added.

"They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again," the defender concluded.

Meanwhile, West Ham has released a statement condemning the defender's actions and vowed to 'deal with the matter internally'.

"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," the statement read.

Animal welfare charity the RSPCA too condemned the West Ham defender's actions and emphasised the importance of reporting suspected animal suffering. Calling the video 'very upsetting', an RSPCA spokesperson said that it is 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," the RSPCS spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, the incident has sparked a massive rage online, with netizens slamming actions from Zouma, who is expected to be a role model for aspiring footballers.

Kurt Zouma rose through the ranks at Saint Etienne before joining Chelsea in a 12 million pound deal in January 2014. During his seven-and-a-half-year stint at Stamford Bridge, the defender had loan spells at Stoke City and Everton. After making 150 appearances for the Blues, the Frenchman joined West Ham in a 29.0 million-pound permanent deal last summer with a four-year contract at the London Stadium.