THE RSPCA has described a prank where a cat was tossed into the air like a rugby ball as “cruel, dangerous and callous”.

Joshua Weir, 27, of Linden Drive, Prestatyn and Lewis Brereton, 26, of Bryntirion Avenue, Rhyl both pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary cruelty by throwing the cat on or before 21 July.

Shocking video footage, captured by Brereton, shows Weir tossing the cat high into the air in a highly dangerous manner, in the vicinity of Rhyl’s Wellington Road.  ​

Laughter can be heard in the video. One of the men convicted of causing the pet unnecessary cruelty can be heard saying to the cat “hope you got nine lives”, while the other says “you’ve got strong limbs” as the terrified cat runs into the distance. 

A chief inspector at the animal welfare charity said after the case that the defendants, Joshua Harvey Weir and Lewis David Brereton, “had zero regard” for the cat’s welfare.

The cat can be seen spinning in the air after being thrown and the RSPCA chief inspector, Leanne Hardy, said: “This was a cruel, dangerous and callous prank. The video footage will undoubtedly cause great shock and horror across North Wales.

"This poor cat was tossed high into the air like a rugby ball.

"The individuals had zero regard for the animal’s welfare, or the extreme damage this incident could caused the poor thing. 

“It is horrendous that anyone would deem it acceptable to treat a living creature in such a way and do so for their own entertainment.

 “It is awful that the two individuals clearly enjoyed, and took pleasure from, doing this to a poor defenceless animal, with the laughter in the video telling its own sick story. 

“Fortunately, the cat survived this cruel act, but RSPCA Cymru was able to fight to secure some justice for the poor animal involved.”

Solicitors for both men said they had been drinking and were remorseful.

Graham Parry, for Brereton, said they were “very drunk” but had owned up at once. Brereton found it “excruciating” to now view the video.