Representative image of cats kept in cage.
Credit: iStock Photo
An international network of people has been found who torture cats and kittens, and share those gruesome videos online.
It has been found that the network consists of thousands of people who post, share and sell images and videos of cats being tortured and killed.
BBC in an investigation found proof on an encrypted messaging app of people, including British nationals, were suggesting users of the group to adopt cats or kittens from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) to torture them.
The publication's probe came after two teenagers were sentenced for torturing, killing two kittens in a park in Ruislip, London, in May.
Of the two teenagers, the boy (17) was sentenced to 12 months in custody and the girl (16) was detained for nine months.
The two had confessed to killing the two kittens which were found cut open and hung. Knives scissors and blowtorches were recovered from the crime scene.
Police are now looking for a possible wider network where people record, share and sell videos of cat torture and killings on encrypted messaging applications, the report said.
According to the publication, the group originated in China but it now has identified active members across the globe.
The group reportedly posted a new video every 14 hours showing cats being tortured and killed between May 2023 to May 2024.
Animal rights activists 'Feline Guardians' documented the scale of these network and found that there were 24 active groups with the largest one having over 1,000 members.
It is believed that the most active user in the network filmed torturing and killing of over 200 cats.
One of the members discussed about how to adopt cats from RSPCA posting application forms, while another posted an advertisement showing kittens for sale in UK and claimed that they wanted to 'torture them so bad'.
Lara, a volunteer at Feline Guardians, who describes this torture as "depths of evil", said, "Every day I feel heartbroken, there is not a day that goes past that I don't feel like my heart is breaking," the publication quoted her.
After spending time undercover, she opined that the torturers are willing to go to any extent to inflict pain to cats.
The modes of torture reportedly include cats being drowned, electrocuted, watching how long a kitten survives in cage without food and water, using electrocution to resuscitate cats to prolong their suffering.
BBC further said that minors are encouraged to mutilate cats, where one of them posted in a group saying, "I'm 10 years old and I like to torture cats."
The network in September 2023 came up with a '100 cat kill' competition where users were motivated to torture and kill 100 cats in the shortest time possible, it added.
Videos of horrific cat torture first went viral in 2023 in China. Wang Chaoyi who was found responsible for two such heinous videos was detained by the Chinese authorities for 15 days and was made to submit a 'letter of repentance' forcibly.
But his videos resulted in development of a cult and people worldwide started making similar content and sharing it on groups made on encrypted messaging apps.