Sepang police chief Norhizam Bahaman said the cat’s owner lodged a report after discovering that the kitten had been stolen and abused to death.

“A preliminary investigation suggests that the incident involved three children, aged between five and 11,” he said in a statement.

He said an investigation paper had been opened under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft and Section 428 of the same law for mischief by killing an animal.

Norhizam urged the public not to take animal abuse lightly, saying such cruel acts not only reflected a lack of compassion but also constituted a violation of the law.

The pet owner shared several videos of the incident after failing to locate her kitten named Jojo, including CCTV footage that allegedly showed the trio taking the kitten from outside her house compound.

The owner claimed that the trio had taken the kitten and placed it in a closed container for several hours, causing it to suffocate.