Four teenagers have been convicted after beating a cat to death and hanging its body outside the home of the woman who cared for it.

A youth court in Granada found the four minors guilty of animal cruelty over the shocking incident, which took place in the village of Aldeire in September 2024.

The teenagers have each been ordered to complete 70 hours of community service linked to animal welfare and must jointly pay €2,500 in compensation to the woman who regularly fed the cat.

According to the ruling, the group acted together between the evening of September 21 and the following morning.

The court found that they targeted a cat named Samurai, which was one of several felines looked after by a local resident.

At some point during the attack, the teenagers struck the animal repeatedly on the head with a stick, causing fatal injuries.

After killing the cat, one of the girls took photographs of two of the boys posing with the animal’s body, holding it by the tail.

The image reportedly showed the teenagers holding a stick in what the court described as a celebratory pose, alongside the caption: ‘Hunting with (name omitted).’

One of the boys also filmed a video and uploaded it to social media, where it was shared on Instagram and other platforms.

The court heard that the group later tied the cat by one of its hind legs and hung the body from the balcony of the home belonging to the woman who had cared for it.

She discovered the animal when she left her house the following morning and suffered an anxiety attack after finding the carcass.

An animal rescue organisation, Happy Cats Spain Rescue, subsequently arranged a veterinary post-mortem examination and histopathological study, costing almost €300.

In addition to the community service order, the teenagers and their parents have been held jointly liable for the compensation awarded to the victim.

The case sparked outrage across Granada province when details first emerged.

Animal welfare campaigners organised a protest outside Aldeire Town Hall, while the animal rights party PACMA called for stronger protections for animals.

Speaking at the time, representatives from Happy Cats Spain Rescue described the killing as an act of extreme cruelty.

‘They crushed Samurai’s skull, played with his body while laughing and then hung him up,’ a spokesperson said.

The organisation added that the images circulated widely online and caused widespread anger among local residents.

PACMA also condemned the incident, demanding greater action to prevent similar cases and improve protections for animals in rural communities.

The court concluded that the attack caused significant psychological harm to the woman who had cared for Samurai and highlighted the deliberate nature of the acts carried out after the animal’s death.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.