Mary Bale, a 45-year-old bank worker, was coming back from work Saturday when she encountered the cat, named Lola, strolling alone in a neighbourhood.
In the footage captured on closed-circuit television, Bale can be seen petting the animal and caressing its head before suddenly grabbing the cat by its neck and dumping it into a nearby trash bin. Bale then quickly walks away as if nothing happened.
The video has sparked so much outrage in Britain that police have begun guarding Bale's house out of fear for her life. Bale hasn't been charged with a criminal offence, but the investigation is ongoing.
Bale, while saying she was sorry for her actions, said she did it as a "joke." She also suggested the public was overreacting.
"It's just a cat," Bale is quoted as telling The Sun newspaper on Wednesday.
Watch the video below:
