The abuse of his cat has financial consequences for the French soccer player Kurt Zouma.
English Premier League club West Ham United said on Wednesday the 27-year-old defender would face the "maximum" fine.
In an online petition, tens of thousands of people called for the footballer to be prosecuted.
As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 170,000 people had signed the petition.
The maximum penalty a club can impose on a player is usually two weeks' salary.
In the case of the French, that would be almost 300,000 euros.
West Ham United said Zouma "immediately accepted" the fine and asked that the money be donated to an animal welfare organisation.
"In Britain we have animal abuse laws, laws that should apply to everyone, rich or poor, famous or not," the petition reads.
The London police and the animal protection organization RSPCA are urged to investigate the case immediately.
The "perpetrator of this heinous act" must be prosecuted.
Angry about a vase
The case became known through a video that was published on the online service Snapchat and by the tabloid "The Sun".
It shows Zouma chasing his cat around his home in a suburb of London, kicking it, throwing a shoe at it and then slapping it on the muzzle.
According to the Sun, Zouma was annoyed that the cat broke a vase and tore a lamp from its anchorage.
Laughter can be heard in the background of the video, which was recorded by Zouma's brother Yoan, while laughing emojis are superimposed on the images in the foreground.
On Tuesday, Zouma apologized for the brutal treatment of his pet.
There is "no excuse" for his behavior, he said in a written statement.
He regrets his behavior "sincerely".
Zouma emphasized: "Our two cats are doing well, they are in good health." The animal welfare organization RSPCA has now taken care of Zouma's cats.
Despite the scandal, Zouma featured for West Ham United on Tuesday night.
He was booed by the fans of Waterford FC.