Kurt Zouma Kicking Cat Video <br />Police launch investigation into Snapchat video of Kurt Zouma kicking his cat after more than 30,000 sign petition demanding he is prosecuted, while £29m star is picked to play Watford TONIGHT despite dressing down from his West Ham bosses<br />Kurt Zouma, 27, has been filmed on Snapchat kicking and slapping cat in home <br />Defender is heard laughing as he chases cat around kitchen and dining room <br />He is also seen throwing a pair of shoes at the cat as it frantically runs away<br />Video was taken on Sunday - day after he played in FA Cup match for West Ham<br />Now Essex police said they were making 'urgent enquiries' about the incident <br />Police said they would be working alongside the RSPCA to investigate the video<br />Twitter users have called on charity to take action and petition has been set up<br /><br />Police have launched an investigation into Premier League star Kurt Zouma after he was caught kicking a cat and laughing.<br /><br />The star has today apologised after being given a dressing down by West Ham bosses over a shocking video showing him kicking and slapping a Bengal cat.<br /><br />In a grovelling statement, the 27-year-old, who only joined the east London club from Chelsea in a £29.8million deal in the summer, said he was 'deeply sorry' over the incident and insisted his cats were 'loved and cherished'.<br /><br />The apology comes as his club side issued their own statement, in which they 'unreservedly condemned' the defender's actions.<br /><br />However, the defender is in West Ham's starting line up in the Premier League tonight against Watford. <br /><br />But the footballer is not yet off the hook, and is facing a joint police and RSPCA animal cruelty investigation. <br /><br />Essex police said: 'We are aware of a video circulating on social media relating to an incident involving a cat which members of our communities may find distressing.<br />'We have recently been made aware that this incident may have taken place in Essex and we are liaising with the RSPCA and urgent enquiries are ongoing.'<br /><br />The RSPCA, which has the power to prosecute in animal welfare cases, said it was 'aware' of the 'very upsetting footage'. <br /><br />RSPCA bosses today refused to say if a probe had been launched, instead saying it would investigate if a 'complaint is made' and it is 'necessary'.<br /><br />Social media users meanwhile have taken to Twitter to put pressure on the RSPCA to investigate.<br /><br />And a petition calling for the charity to take action against the French international has also been launched. It has already been signed more than 10,000 times. <br /><br />The RSPCA, whose prosecutions carry a maximum sentence of five-years in prison for the most serious of offences, would not confirm the receipt of any official complaints that would lead to an investigation.<br /><br />The charity however say it had received 'lots of messages on social media' and other channels about the video, which was taken on Sunday - the day after Zouma appeared for the club in their FA Cup victory over non-league Kidderminster Harriers. <br /><br />RSPCA bosses urged
