An international soccer star has had his cats forcibly taken away from him after he was filmed kicking and slapping one of them. Kurt Zouma, 27, plays for West Ham United in England’s Premier League as well as for the France international team. Footage of his cat abuse caused fury in England earlier this week, with 160,000 people signing a petition to have him prosecuted for animal cruelty and have his cats taken away to safety. On Wednesday, the country’s biggest animal charity gave them their wish. In a statement, the RSPCA said: “The two cats are now in RSPCA care. Our priority is and has always been the wellbeing of these cats. They’ve been taken for a check-up at a vets and then will remain in our care while the investigation continues.” The shocking video showed Zouma dropkicking his pet cat while laughter can be heard in the background. Police have opened inquiries into the incident.