4 year old hurting cats

[alittlefishy]

Not my DC but a neighbour. I've seen her a few times pulling a cats tail, throwing things at it, trying to hit it and generally being rough.

Obviously I rushed over to tell her to stop and she looked a bit blank.

My question is - why would she do this? Seems a nice kid in other respects and plays nicely with my DC.

The only oddity with her is that she's very sensory - into everything, touches everything and seems impulsive.

What would make a child hurt a cat?

Happened again twice today and it's freaking me out so I'm bumping in hope someone can explain

No idea but I'd give talking to to parents and make it very clear it hurts. Like when she dos it to the cats, they hurt. I'd have a real convo with her if that's possible tell her the cats are in pain and scared and that it's a very unnice thing to do to a living creature and that we are supposed to be kind and protect the smaller beings around us. Maybe show her how to play with a cat? Maybe she does not know. No idea really. I think it comes from observing others (she says as her 2yo hunts their own cat around the flat with a rubber building block trying to smack it...). I show mine how to play nicely with the cats, I hope one day they will get it.