Laura Cunliffe’s kitten died a slow and painful death (Picture: Caters)

A 23-year-old woman killed her kitten by putting it in the microwave, a court heard, as she pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Laura Cunliffe, 23, put her four-month-old pet Mowgli in the microwave for five minutes after it apparently attacked her goldfish.

Cunliffe, from Hoyland near Barnsley, then removed it from the appliance where the suffering animal was still alive, despite having its internal organs cooked.

‘The kitten was in a distressed state when Miss Cunliffe took it out of the oven,’ said Brian Orsborn, prosecuting for the RSPCA.


‘[It] could not get its breath and died about 90 minutes later. Miss Cunliffe made arrangements for the body of the kitten to be taken away to be buried.’



[Warning: Graphic image at the bottom of article]

He continued: ‘The RSPCA became involved and was able to trace the man who carried out the burial.’

As reported by the MailOnline, the defence for Cunliffe stated that she had suffered with depression and psychosis.

She had had the black and white kitten for a few months before the incident happened.

‘In the 13 years I have been in the job I have never dealt with a case like this before,’ said Lynsey Harris, RSPCA deputy chief inspector.

‘It is particularly horrendous because of the period of suffering for the kitten which would have been awful.’

Cunliffe will be sentenced on March 13.

[Warning: Graphic and distressing image of the deceased kitten below]

The cat endured five minutes in the microwave and died 90 minutes after being taken out (Picture: RSPCA)