Shocking video shows Philly men siccing dogs on family cat, cheering during the brutal mauling

A disturbing video out of Philadelphia shows two men siccing their dogs on a family cat.

The pair were walking their dogs in the Frankford neighborhood on Tuesday morning, the Philly Voice reported. They noticed a cat on the front porch of a home and decided to sic their dogs on the cat, named "Buddy."

The men released the leashes and encouraged the dogs to attack the cat by repeatedly yelling, "Get him!"

The dogs brutally ripped the helpless cat to shreds, as seen in video captured by a surveillance camera outside a family's home. As the cat is being thrashed, one of the dog owners gleefully screams, "Good boy!"

The mauling only ended when a man exited the house to prevent the cat from being killed.

Buddy suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a nearby animal hospital. The cat is still undergoing treatment.

The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals posted the video of the heinous attack on social media in order to try to identify the men who ordered the dogs to attack the cat. The attack is blurred out in the video clip because it is so graphic.

The two men face felony charges of animal fighting and animal cruelty – both of which are felonies that could result in up to seven years in jail, according to the SPCA.

"This act of cruelty is especially heinous for its apparent intentional nature," said Pennsylvania SPCA CEO Julie Klim. "An innocent animal simply sitting on a porch may lose its life for absolutely no reason. Animals are beloved members of our family, and should be treated as such."

Philadelphia police have launched an investigation into the grisly attack.

Content warning: graphic footage

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania SPCA provided an update on the status of Buddy the cat: "Last night, Buddy was sent to an ER vet to be closely monitored. He made it through the night. He continues to be in extremely critical condition. We are (very) cautiously optimistic."

The animal welfare organization said on Thursday that the "fierce" cat remains in critical condition, adding, "The outpouring of support has been nothing short of amazing."

Anyone with information that could help investigators identify the two animal abusers is asked to call SPCA's cruelty hotline at (866) 601-7722 or send an email to cruelty@pspca.org. Tips may be submitted anonymously.