Punishing a cat does absolutely no good. They do what they want to do when they want to do it and the hell with anyone else. Kicking a cat properly requires a mixture of coordination, knowledge of the laws of physics and brute force. Sir Isaac Newton was probably a cat hater. Any object will remain at rest until acted upon by an external force.
Cats usually rest.
Such sweet balls of shedding fur curled up like a soccer ball can be so tempting. Proper alignment of the leg is essential. The distance from the animal is directly proportional to your height. Do not kick with your knee bent. Swing your entire leg forward like you are drop-kicking a football.