US teen arrested after throwing cat off balcony, authorities say

A New Jersey teenager who allegedly hurled a pet cat off a third-floor balcony has been arrested after a highly disturbing brag video of the incident was posted online.

Cops tracked down Tikeemah Lassiter, 19, and charged her with animal cruelty after a woman had watched the video and complained to police.

The video shows Ms Lassiter, who was visiting friends, allegedly tossing the tabby on to the footpath below, while friends stand around and burst into laughter.

"It’s dead?" one of the crowd on the balcony asks, before the motionless cat suddenly begins to move its head.

The cat somehow survived the huge drop, and is currently being cared for by the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, NJ.com reports.