Cat shot five times as air rifle attacks increase
The cat, named Ronnie, was found with five air gun pellets in its body after the attack in Liverpool in June.
The shooting comes as the RSPCA reported a 30 per cent increase in airgun attacks against cats and urged owners to be 'extra vigilant'.
Pam Slater, Ronnie's owner, said: 'We found Ronnie screaming in pain and hardly able to walk.
'We assumed he had been hit by a car, so rushed him to the vet. But shockingly, an X-ray revealed he had been shot. There were five air gun pellets in his body – four in his left back leg and one in his torso.'
She added: 'How could someone do this to a poor, defenceless animal?'
The RSPCA's new data revealed that 497 incidents involving air guns, catapults and crossbows were reported between the years 2022 and 2024, with an increase to 70 incidents of animal cruelty in 2024 compared to 54 in 2023.
The highest number of reports came from Kent and Greater London – 32 and 31 respectively. Other counties with a high number of incidents included: Durham (20), Essex (18), Cheshire, Hampshire and West Midlands (16 each). Greater Manchester, Somerset and West Yorkshire all had 15 reports.
Geoff Edmond, the RSPCA's wildlife partnerships manager, said: 'It is unspeakably cruel and totally unacceptable to shoot animals for fun – or to harm them for target practice.'
He added: 'Day after day, our front-line officers and animal centres see the sickening consequences of weapons being used on animals – including severe injuries often leading to death.'
Another cat, called Nala, was shot in the back with an air rifle in Mosterton. The attack left it with a vertebrae fracture and unable to walk. When operating on the cat, the vet had to leave some shards near its spine so as to avoid further damage, but removed a .22 pellet.
However, cats are not the only animals being targeted. The charity also launched an appeal for information after a wood pigeon suffered catapult injuries in April.
The pigeon was found alive but with an injured wing and was taken to the South Essex wildlife hospital where it was then euthanised because it had severe injuries.
The RSPCA received twice as many reports of catapult incidents in June this year compared to the same period in 2023 (22 as opposed to 10).
Earlier this month, a crackdown on catapults was announced by Kent Police – the county with the highest number of incident reports, according to the RSPCA.
Ch Insp James Ross said: 'It is not currently illegal to possess a catapult but if our officers suspect one is being used to commit crime or anti-social behaviour then they will not hesitate to seize and destroy it.'
Residents in Greenhithe, Kent, had previously complained that 'vile' youths were attacking swans and other birds.
They said the attacks were happening at both St Clements Lakes and the lakes at Bluewater Shopping Centre, with 'no end in sight'.
Anum Abid, who has lived by St Clements Lakes for seven years, said: 'It's just ridiculous how bad it's getting. Everyone is just so fed up and frustrated.'
She added: 'You'll see an average kid here wanting to throw stones at a bird for absolutely no reason whatsoever and the thing is they seem to have no fear of anything. They're very vile individuals.'
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