Nadine Trewin, from Adelaide Close in Langley Green, Crawley, West Sussex, lost her temper after a flea from the feline bit her on the leg.

The 31-year-old then confided to a friend that she had killed the pet, Sasha, while she was drunk.

Ms Trewin admitted animal cruelty, in a case brought by the RSPCA after the friend contacted them.

David Buck, prosecuting, told Horsham Magistrates Court how the RSPCA was called to Ms Trewin's house on 25 March last year by the shocked friend, Stacey Passmore.

The court heard how the dead cat was examined by a vet who found haemorrhaging on the brain which could have been caused by being cooked in a microwave.

Mr Buck said: "The animal had other injuries on its body as a result of either being hit prior to death or as a result of thrashing about in the oven."

Ms Passmore told the court how she had telephoned the defendant to see how she was and if she wanted to go out that evening.

"When I rang her she was very upset. She said that she had done something very cruel," she said.

'Very cruel'

Ms Trewin told Ms Passmore it was an accident.

She said that after the cat's fleas had bitten her leg the animal had jumped into the microwave.

"She said she shut the door and turned the power on. She said it was in the oven for under a minute."

The court heard Ms Trewin was suffering with depression and had been prescribed Prozac when the incident occurred.

On the night in question she had drunk seven cans of lager and almost two bottles of wine.

During interviews with the RSPCA she told how she had slammed the door on the microwave with the cat inside, causing the power to switch on automatically.

She said she had tipped the microwave out of the window expecting the cat to jump out.

Trewin admitted the offence when Deputy District Judge Kevin Gladwell rejected a claim that she had been inappropriately interviewed over the matter by the RSPCA.

The case was adjourned until 23 July for pre-sentence reports.