A 16-year-old boy from Aberdeen has admitted torturing a cat in a series of disturbing acts.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, carried out cruelty at an address in the city.
The boy admitted causing the cat unnecessary suffering by binding its rear legs together with a hair bobble or similar item.
He also exposed the cat to water to such an extent the animal’s body temperature was lowered, causing hypothermia and its breathing to deteriorate.
The 16-year-old also shook the cat, swung it and struck it to its head and body, injuring it.
The cat has since died, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Boy denies two other cat torture charges
The horrifying offence took place on a single day in autumn last year.
While the teen admitted his guilt over that charge, he entered pleas of not guilty to three other charges – including two more of cruel behaviour towards cats.
One of the charges alleges the boy “chased” a four-month-old kitten around a property, causing it so much distress that it lost control of its bowels.
He is also accused of causing a third cat unnecessary suffering by setting light to an aerosol spray and placing the flame against the animal’s legs, singeing its fur.
That charge goes on to allege the teen submerged the cat’s legs in water.
The boy also denies a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by threatening and brandishing a candlestick holder towards his mother.
‘He has no intention or want to keep animals’
Sheriff Robert Frazer described the offence the teen pled guilty to as “troubling”.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said: “Since these incidents came to light, he can no longer live with his mother.
“He’s being supported by social work.”
The solicitor said there was a “significant background” which was expanded on in a psychiatric report.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Gunn made a motion for the teen to be banned from keeping animals.
Sheriff Frazer continued consideration of a ban and imposed bail conditions in the meantime ordering the child not to keep or care for any animals.
Mr Woodward-Nutt did not object, adding: “He has no intention or want to keep animals.”
Sheriff Frazer fixed a pre-trial hearing for the charges the teen has denied for the start of April and deferred sentence on the charge he has admitted until the same date.
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