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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Premier league footballer kicks cat and gets away with it...

355 replies

Gonnagetgoing · 08/02/2022 13:48

A footballer Kurt Zouma (apologies if already been mentioned here) has been videoed kicking his cat and chasing it yet West Ham says they've condemned his actions and he's apologised.

AIBU to be disgusted with him?

foul foul man

OP posts:
MrsSkylerWhite · 09/02/2022 10:06

just don't have a lot of time for people who are seemingly quite happy to ignore everything else going on in our society but if it's anything to do with an animal then it's time to grab the pitchforks.“

Why do you assume that people who are concerned about cruelty to animals aren’t equally concerned about people?

Saying that the cat wasn’t, actually, hurt was crass.

BABAHOTEL · 09/02/2022 10:06

@CrinklyCraggy

Nearly 4000 posts condemning the decision to play him on West Ham's own FB page. They really screwed up yesterday and I fully expect another announcement I the next few days.
Let's hope so!

Hope his career is ruined.

I'm damn sure if I was seen showing that behaviour, that the clients at my company would take huge exception to dealing with me and I'd rightly be dismissed. Clearly the fans who are "the clients" feel strongly, so he should walk.

MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife · 09/02/2022 10:10

Why do you assume that people who are concerned about cruelty to animals aren’t equally concerned about people?

Past experience of reading threads about pets on Mumsnet.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 09/02/2022 10:11

His career certainly won't be ruined - just like so many areas, money will trump any morality.

MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife · 09/02/2022 10:11

Actually that's not fair. It is only some people who feel this way and not the majority clearly.

BABAHOTEL · 09/02/2022 10:21

@MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife

Why do you assume that people who are concerned about cruelty to animals aren’t equally concerned about people?

Past experience of reading threads about pets on Mumsnet.

Maybe don't take your research from MN?
BABAHOTEL · 09/02/2022 10:22

@MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife what reliable source informed you the cat wasn't hurt?

ShittyFingers · 09/02/2022 10:24

People that are cruel to animals are normally cruel to humans too. He’s an abusive piece of shit and should be fired.

CrinklyCraggy · 09/02/2022 10:24

He won't "walk" there's far too much money involved for that, but I do think WH Utd will rethink and there'll probably be a hefty fine, a shirt suspension and possibly some community work.

As an aside, how thick must the brother (also a professional footballer, but less successful so in an altogether more precarious position) be to think he could share that without repercussions?

CrinklyCraggy · 09/02/2022 10:24

*short suspension

Konstantine8364 · 09/02/2022 11:01

I wanted to watch the video in case it was a fuss about nothing, but that video is horrific. If he's so keen to attack a defenceless animal and laugh about it I genuinely think he's a danger to his children. There can be occasional times with bigger animals when you may need to use violence to protect another animal or person (e.g. kicking a dog that is attacking your dog). But attacking a cat like that and laughing is sadistic cruelty and the cats need to be rehomed asap. He should be fired and prosecuted but not sure that will happen!

Terfydactyl · 09/02/2022 13:03

@MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife

Can't we do both?

But it's not both is it? It's not two things:

  1. Cat
  2. Every other problem in the country\world

There is not time enough to sort out even a fraction of the stuff that needs sorting.

As you point out, not enough time (or will or people) to sort out everything else. Therefore I shall prioritise what I deem is important and you do you. But gods sake dont come on and TELL us what we should be signing petitions for. It's not like it's a really time consuming effort required to sign a bloody petition. Plus a lot of abusers start with the pets, then advance to children and women.
BlankTimes · 09/02/2022 13:30

And hey, the cat wasn’t actually hurt, apparently

Which qualified vet has confirmed that?

The kick he gave it could have broken its bones and/or damaged its internal organs. The slap could have damaged its vertebrae.
the cat and its housemate need to be removed from that house, examined treated if necessary and if you've watched the video it looks necessary, and rehomed.

ratspeaker · 09/02/2022 13:36

I'm worried about the children that witnessed this.
It's teaching them that an adult can hurt small creatures and they may be next.

Also the adults thought it was funny.
No later apologising can't offset that.

I'm glad to see the crowd booed him at every touch of the ball.

Why is it football clubs think someone's ability to kick a ball about is held in higher regard than their moral character?
Raith Rovers found out how stupid it was to sign a rapist in spite of their sponsor saying she'd withdraw support. But too late the damage was done and Val McDermud kept her word.

ilovesooty · 09/02/2022 13:38

There's apparently a possibility that he could be charged with animal cruelty in France. That might even attract a custodial sentence.

girlmom21 · 09/02/2022 14:14

The cats have been removed by the RSPCA

NannyOggsWhiskyStash · 09/02/2022 14:20

I am so done with entitled footballers getting away with disgusting behaviour. So many stories about rape, DV, dangerous driving,and now animal abuse.

BABAHOTEL · 09/02/2022 14:26

@girlmom21

The cats have been removed by the RSPCA
Brilliant
ilovesooty · 09/02/2022 14:28

@girlmom21

The cats have been removed by the RSPCA
Good to hear.
Schmoozer · 09/02/2022 14:30

Cats 🐱 🐱 finally removed
I’m so relieved
We need those tough French laws here

ilovesooty · 09/02/2022 14:31

@Schmoozer

Cats 🐱 🐱 finally removed I’m so relieved We need those tough French laws here
He might yet be prosecuted in France. The law there allows it.
ClaudineClare · 09/02/2022 14:33

That is good news. Hopefully they will be found a new home with people who will spoil them rotten.

ClaudineClare · 09/02/2022 14:34

I hope that the family situation is checked out too, to make sure there isn't any other sort of abuse going on.

LexMitior · 09/02/2022 14:40

What is about some men that enjoy terrorising a much smaller animal? Obviously amusing to him, and the knuckle draggers of his family.

It must be important to have something to scare - a repugnant human being. Just don't keep animals and save yourself from having to expose how foul you and your family are.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles · 09/02/2022 14:53

@MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife

Yes it's awful but there are far worse or more important things going on everywhere at the moment - maybe it would be better to spend our energy sorting out those first rather than starting petitions about a cat?
Well surely you would be better spending your energy trying to sort out those terribly important things instead of wasting your time on MN? You don't see any irony there at all? Back to reality, lots of us give time to more than one cause. I have time to (for example) read the news and sign a petition about cat cruelty as well as doing some feminist activism and Mumsnetting about cake and cats

In terms of the "top trumps" point I think you are trying to make, I can see there may be an argument to be made about the level of press coverage and the public outrage etc about this case compared to for example footballers charged with rape etc. It would annoy me that animal cruelty is given more attention in the press and by society than rape, but in this case there aren't the same legal implications prohibiting discussion which resulted in all the Mason Greenwood threads being pulled.

But saying that, I can see that animal cruelty is an issue people can be concerned about as well as sexual violence and people can give their time to whatever causes they believe in, and as many causes as they want.

PS I am pleased that the RSPCA have actually taken action because they have been shit in all the interactions I have had with them. Someone treated my cat even worse than this instance and we had evidence and they didn't give a fuck. I devote a lot of time to this cat Wink to make sure she is happy and feels safe, and I still make time to give to other causes.