Newcastle supporters mocked West Ham defender Kurt Zouma throughout Saturday afternoon's Premier League clash at the London Stadium by holding up bright orange inflatable cats in the away end.
Earlier this month, a sickening video of Zouma kicking and slapping his pet cat went viral on social media after it was posted on Snapchat by his brother, Yoan.
West Ham soon released a statement condemning the defender's actions but hours later, the centre back was handed a first-team start against Watford - a decision that was criticised by many.
Since the incident took place, Zouma has been met with a hostile reception at football grounds and on Saturday afternoon, Newcastle fans decided to taunt the Frenchman using inflatable cats.
Advert
It is also believed supporters were heard chanting: "Heyyyyyy, Hey Zouma, Oooh, Aahh, I wanna knowww, how you kicked that cat."
West Ham manager David Moyes spoke about Zouma's actions ahead of their clash against Eddie Howe's side.
Advert
"I think he's probably really disappointed about what he's done and he's thinking about it a lot, no doubt, but overall we have tried to get him to move on.
"We want him to concentrate on his training. He played very well for us against Watford the other week there, so we're hoping that we can keep him at those levels of performance - we'll be pleased with that.
"He's really well-liked here amongst the supporters, the performances he's put in throughout the season already, so hopefully he can focus on his football and we'll give him as much support as we can until we get him right back to his best."
Earlier this month, Metropolitan Police confirmed they won’t investigate Zouma over his actions, but Essex Police are liaising with the RSPCA and “urgent enquiries are ongoing.”
Advert
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “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.”
West Ham said they would be “dealing with the matter internally.”
Featured Image Credit: Alamy/TwitterTopics: Kurt Zouma, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Premier League
