Beloved cat dies from airgun shot

EXETER cat owners are being warned to take extra care of their pets after two were shot – one fatally – in Exwick.

The loss has devastated Zoe Butterworth, 25, of Farm Hill, Exwick, and her young children.

Zoe's cat, four-year-old Missy, was shot at close range in Guinness Lane, Exwick, the airgun pellet piercing her spine and leaving her paralysed.

She was taken to a vet but the injury was too grave and Missy had to be put down.

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Mother-of-three Zoe only found out when she phoned around vet surgeries after Missy went missing.

Now Missy's kitten Sonja has also been shot, again by an airgun. This time the lead pellet pierced her collar and lodged itself in her neck. The four-month old cat was rushed to a vets and the pellet removed.

Mrs Butterworth said: "It is absolutely terrible that someone should be going around doing this. Missy would not go near people so we think someone must have grabbed her to shoot her like they did at such close range.

"They then left her paralysed and in terrible pain in the lane."

She added: "Who could do such a cruel thing? Somebody must know who is doing this and we have heard that other cats have gone missing in the area.

"We knew something was wrong with Sonja when she limped home and luckily the vet could save her but it has cost us £200 and she was not insured."

Mrs Butterworth said her two older children, Tylor, seven, and Faith, four, missed Missy a great deal. "Faith is particularly upset because Missy would sleep on her bed. Tylor has special needs and he is also very upset by it all.

"Luckily my two-year-old daughter Grace does not really know what has happened and can play with Sonja and our other cats, Ying and Yang. Cat owners need to take care. I won't let the cats out any more after the shootings."

Mrs Butterworth has informed police and the RSPCA, who are both investigating.