Cruel yobs shoot cat (From Echo)

Cruel yobs shoot cat

2:44pm Tuesday 24th July 2007

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A DEVASTATED cat owner fears her pet could lose an eye after being shot by yobs.

Samantha Botham, 29, of Butneys, Basildon, believes whoever shot her beloved Barney wanted him dead.

The air rifle pellet hit the cat's face and narrowly missed his brain. The slug is now wedged at the base of the eight-year-old tabby's skull and vets say removing it could kill Barney.

The cat may also lose his right eye because the wound caused severe swelling and damage to the optic nerve.

Miss Botham says other cat owners in her road now fear their animals may be the next victims.

She said: "I'm so angry. It's unreal. I can't understand the mentality it takes to shoot an animal in cold blood with the intention of killing it."

Miss Botham said her partner was lying on the sofa at their home when the cat came in from the garden squealing with pain and leaving a trail of blood. Barney was rushed to Cherrydown Veterinary Surgery, where it was discovered the slug had entered his nose and ripped through his throat, before lodging in his skull.

The cat is being kept at the surgery, where vets will decide over the next few days whether to remove his eye.

Tearful Miss Botham broke down as she told the Echo: "Even though I'm glad Barney survived, it almost would have been better if it had killed him, because when you think of all the pain and suffering he has been through, it's heartbreaking."

Paul Aggarwal, the vet who is treating Barney, asked: "Why anyone would want to do such a thing?"

Nishan Wijeratne of Essex Police said: "Police are constantly warning the public about the dangers of BB guns and air rifles.

"The fact this cat may still lose its eye is evidence of how dangerous these weapons can be.

"We would urge whoever is responsible to explore their conscience and hand themselves in to police."

Anyone with information about the attack, which happened at 4.30pm on Friday, should contact police at Basildon on 01268 532212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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