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Cruelty stems from both intellectual and social environments. I think that animals are incapable of cruelty because they only inflict pain during times when that pain in practical. You have invaded my territory, so I will bite you. I need to eat, so I will eat you.
Humans are the only creatures with a wide variety of unnecessary reasons for inflicting pain upon other members of that species. You are a Protestant, so I will burn you at the stake. You are black, so I will hang you. You were glasses, so I will break them and then laugh at you while you cry. All of these reasons stem more from the social learnings of humanity than from anything instinctual.
Intellectually speaking, it is human ingenuity that makes cruelty our stock in trade. No other creature could possibly come up with crucifixion, the rack, Chinese Water Torture and the countless other methods we have devised for inflicting pain. If you have any doubts on the human creativity for torture, just watch the last part of Braveheart. Would a cat do that?
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