Cats maimed in air rifle attacks

A Kent woman feels "sick and angry" that one of her cats was killed and two others hurt in air gun attacks.

One of Maria Walpole from Northfleet's pet cats died when a bullet severed its spine, while two others were left in need of surgery.

Ms Walpole said: "It is quite hard to put into words, but I feel sick, I feel angry, I feel scared to leave the house in case one of my cats gets hurt."

Police said they had made no arrests but have spoken to a suspect.

Ms Walpole described discovering the injuries to her cat, Phoebe, which later had to be put to sleep.

'Severed spine'

"I found her just laying in the woodlands near my house, I rushed her indoors and she just dragged the lower half of her body," she said.

"I rushed her straight to the vets', where they put her under anaesthetic, took x-rays, and found the bullet had severed her spine.

"She stayed in there for a few days to see if there was any improvement but on the Wednesday I had to go there and have her put down," she said.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said that air gun attacks on cats were more common during school holidays.

"It's mainly during the school holidays is when these attacks happen, but it's actually illegal if you're under 18 to use an air gun unsupervised," she said.

"With a small animal like a bird or cat air guns can kill, maim, and cause serious suffering," she added.