West Ham defender Kurt Zouma has issued an apology over disturbing footage shared which shows him drop-kicking his cat across his kitchen.
The French international said there were “no excuses” for his behaviour, while West Ham “unreservedly condemned” the centre-back’s actions and said they would deal with the matter internally.
In the video, obtained by The Sun newspaper, the 27-year-old is also seen slapping the cat.
The video is believed to have been filmed by Zouma’s brother Yoan and then shared on Snapchat.
"I want to apologise for my actions,” Zouma said in a statement. “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 West Ham club statement read: "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."
West Ham are due to be in Premier League action against Watford on Tuesday night, though it remains to be seen whether Zouma will be considered for selection.
A spokesperson for the RSPCA added: “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.”
