Killing a cat

Question

Question: If someone strikes a cat with a stick and it dies, what is the ruling concerning this? If there is any expiation (kaffara), kindly inform us.

Answer

Tormenting a cat without reason is a sin, as is related in the noble hadith: a woman kept a cat tied up and did not give it food, and because of this the woman was punished. The same is the ruling regarding every animal: tormenting any of them without reason is impermissible; it is a sin. But if a cat causes harm, then killing it is also permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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