The BBC revealed the scale after months of investigation, exposing groups where videos of tortured and killed cats were shared, sold and even celebrated.
Thousands of users were involved, with some boasting of abusing hundreds of animals.
A network of cruelty
British members were seen discussing adopting kittens from rescue centres only to harm them. The revelations followed a conviction in Ruislip, west London, where two teenagers were jailed for killing and mutilating kittens. Investigators are examining whether they were linked to the wider network.
The animal welfare group Feline Guardians tracked activity between May 2023 and May 2024, finding a new torture video appeared on average every 14 hours. Some groups had more than 1,000 members, while others staged “competitions” to kill the most cats in the shortest time.
Sadistic 'competitions' and children as perpetrators
Even children were taking part. In one chat, a user wrote: “I am 10 years old and I love torturing cats.”
Campaigners warned that laws lag far behind. China, where much of the material first spread, has few penalties for animal cruelty. “Without tougher international action, this horror will escalate,” said Lara from Feline Guardians.
The RSPCA condemned the findings, while MP Johanna Baxter warned: “Animal cruelty is often a gateway to even worse violence.”
