Cat dies after being kicked and shot in "shocking" case of cruelty at Mansfield

The volunteer run Mansfield Cat Watch group is now warning residents with cats in the area to keep their pets inside.

The group was alerted to the cat’s plight on Sunday afternoon, when he was found unable to walk, and bleeding from his mouth, on Sandy Lane.

At first it was feared he had been hit by a car but x-rays revealed he had been shot with an air rifle. He had a pellet in his pelvis, severe trauma to his face, a painful jaw, and it is thought he had been kicked or hit with blunt trauma.

Claire Tideswell, of the group said: “It is an absolutely shocking case of horrific cruelty to a cat.

"It is very distressing. He was found in an absolutely appalling state. We think he was an older cat, possibly a stray, as we have appealed to find an owner but no-one has come forward.

"We want to warn people in the area with cats to be aware this is going on in the area, and keep their animals in, we have reported it to the police and we are worried there is someone out there doing this.

“We named him Wilf, and he was was initially taken to Vets for Pets at Sutton in Ashfield, and later to the Animal Doctor at Ravenshead. We were hoping he could be rehabilitated, but his injuries were just too much, his kidneys failed and he had to to be put down.”

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Sergeant Andy Doran, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We have been made aware of this incident and are saddened to learn that this animal has passed away. This kind of animal cruelty is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated anywhere in Nottinghamshire.

“If you have any information about this incident please call us on 101 quoting incident number 145 of 15 September. If you suspect other people are being cruel to their pets you can also call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999."

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Every year the RSPCA receives almost 1,000 calls to investigate cases and help hundreds of animals that are the defenseless victims of air gun attacks.

“It is distressing to think that people take pleasure in causing such horrific injuries to defenceless animals. These are deliberate and brutal acts of cruelty. Cats and wildlife are normally the animals that are more susceptible to these incidents simply because they are out in the open with no one to protect them. Unfortunately, air rifle attacks are not as rare as we would like. The injuries caused by such attacks are horrific and often fatal.

"We are calling for tighter controls on air weapons. This, along with better education and explanation of the law when buying an air gun, and requirements that everyone must receive basic safety training before being allowed to walk out of the shop could help relieve the problem.

“These weapons cause horrific pain and suffering and it is illegal. Anyone caught deliberately using an air gun to injure an animal can face up to six months in prison and/or a £20,000 fine if found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act."

To support Mansfield Cat Watch visit its Facebook page.

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