Kim Kardashian Sparks Controversy Over Cat Photo

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian has sparked controversy with several animal rights organizations after Tweeting a photo of her holding a kitten up by the scruff of its neck.

According to the New York Daily News, Kardashian was finishing up a fully nude photo shoot for Allure when she snapped the picture in question.

Needless to say, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wasn't too happy.

"Kim Kardashian isn't the only person who mistakenly thinks that because a mother cat picks up her kittens by the scruff of the neck that a supportive hand under the rump isn't needed," a PETA spokesperson told the New York paper. "But I'll bet plenty of fans have let her know - nicely, we hope!"

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles also weighed in on the photo. The organization said that it is tolerable to hold a kitten the way Kardashian did for a brief amount of time, but warned that "the manner in which Ms. Kardashian is holding the kitten could lead others to mishandle animals," according to the report.

Since then, Kardashian has fired back on her blog saying she would never do anything to harm any animal.

"I have been getting negative comments regarding the way I was holding the kitty," reads Kardashian's blog post. "But rest assured, the owner and vet were on set and showed me how to pick him up. The cat was not harmed in any way and is perfectly fine!"

Kardashian, who once appeared nude in Playboy, is the star of the reality series "Keeping up With the Kardashians."