A CNN investigation has uncovered a disturbing rise in cat torture videos made in China and shared online. These violent videos are part of a dark global market aimed at people who enjoy watching animals suffer.
The investigation reveals how weak animal protection laws, poor online moderation, and global demand have created a dangerous and growing problem.
Over several months, CNN infiltrated secret online communities that share these videos. The reporters discovered that many of the videos are created in countries with little to no protection for animals. These videos are then sold or traded through international networks.
CNN’s Ivan Watson spoke with animal rights activists and online investigators who are working to expose and shut down these torture networks.
Feline Guardians
Animal rights group Feline Guardians reported a shocking 500% increase in cat torture videos produced in China in less than a year.
In June 2024, a new video was uploaded every 14 hours. By February 2025, the number had increased to one every 2 hours and 38 minutes.
In just the first two months of 2025, over 500 new videos were uploaded. These videos showed more than 300 cats being tortured and killed.
Criminologist Jenny Edwards explained that some people make or watch these videos due to “sexual sadism,” a mental disorder where people enjoy the pain of others.
CNN also interviewed a man who admitted to buying these videos. He called it “a fetish I can’t quit.” He explained that he often searched for more extreme scenes and even asked the video creators to perform specific acts of abuse.
These requests show how dangerous and organized this market is. People are not just watching; they are ordering cruelty like a product.
Activists threatened by abusers
The people trying to stop this network face serious risks. Activists working with Feline Guardians often choose to remain anonymous to protect themselves.
One volunteer, known only as Laura, told CNN that she hides her identity for safety reasons. She said many of the people making or buying these videos are part of hidden communities, and exposing them can lead to threats or worse.
These activists often track the creators, collect evidence, and report them to authorities or social media platforms.
The videos are usually shared on encrypted apps like Telegram, where it is hard for outsiders or police to find them.
However, they also appear on public platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), where children and other users can easily come across them. This raises serious concerns about online safety and the failure of big tech companies to remove harmful content.
Weak animal welfare laws in China
Chen, a Chinese volunteer for Feline Guardians, said the Chinese government is quick to censor political speech and pornography but rarely acts against animal cruelty. This lack of action has made China a hub for these violent videos.
While China fails to respond, other countries are starting to act. Police in the United States and Turkey have arrested people involved in creating or distributing similar content.
In these countries, animal cruelty is treated as a serious crime, especially when it involves online videos. But in China, where there are no strong laws protecting pets and companion animals, most offenders are not punished.
One Chinese university student was caught torturing over 80 stray cats. In another shocking case, a man poured boiling water over a pregnant cat.
In Hangzhou, a kitten was killed with steel blow darts. After that attack, a popular Chinese influencer asked a chilling question: “What if he shoots humans one day?”
The legal situation in China remains a big part of the problem. China only has one national law protecting wildlife, not pets or companion animals like cats and dogs.
A draft law to punish animal cruelty with jail time has been discussed, but it has not been passed. Cultural views and lack of political interest have blocked its progress. This gap in the law allows abusers to act without fear of arrest or punishment.
Animal abusers often also torture humans
The issue also goes beyond animal cruelty. Studies have shown a strong link between abuse of animals and violence against people.
The FBI in the United States has long said that many serial killers and violent criminals started their crimes by hurting animals. One famous case is Jeffrey Dahmer, who tortured animals as a child before going on to kill people.
A 20-year study showed that people who abuse animals are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against humans.
Another study found that 70% of animal abusers had committed other crimes, and nearly 40% had committed violent crimes. In the most extreme cases, like sexual homicide, 100% of the offenders had a history of abusing animals.
Psychologists say that these offenders often show signs of low empathy, bullying behavior, and a need for power or control. These feelings can easily shift from animals to humans.
Convicted animal abuser kills three people
In September 2023, a 32-year-old university student in Rotterdam opened fire at a hospital and a nearby house, killing three people. He had been known to police and had a 2021 conviction for animal abuse.
Another global case that highlights this risk is Luka Rocco Magnotta, a Canadian who murdered and dismembered Chinese student Jun Lin in 2012.
Before the murder, Magnotta had become known online for torturing and killing cats. He posted videos showing him suffocating and drowning kittens. Activists had warned authorities that he was a threat to humans, but no action was taken until it was too late.
Social media companies are also failing. Platforms owned by Meta, including Facebook and Instagram, host the majority of online animal cruelty content. Yet only about 36% of reported content is actually removed, according to data from Feline Guardians.
This poor enforcement allows the videos to keep spreading and puts children at risk.
In response, countries like the UK and the EU are taking stronger steps. The UK’s Online Safety Act and the EU’s Digital Services Act both classify animal cruelty as illegal online content.
These laws demand better action from social media companies and allow large fines if they fail to act.
The rise in online animal torture is a serious and growing problem. Activists, lawmakers, and tech companies must work together to stop this cruelty and prevent it from spreading further.
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