Cat’ s owner tells of her shock at pet’ s shooting

The owner of a one-year-old cat that was shot in an Aberdeenshire village has spoken of her family’s shock after realising what had happened.

The Dundas family’s cat Nox went missing from their home in Logie Coldstone on Monday, and was not seen until he turned up at the door late on Thursday night.

Delight at his return turned to confusion when Nox refused to eat his food, and hissed with pain when he was stroked.

Oldest daughter Kirsty, who is a student veterinary nurse, sensed something was wrong.

Mum Pauline Dundas said: “She thought he had ticks, but when she looked closer he had small wounds with blood round about them, so she had to shave him, and she found 14 small wounds.

“Initially we couldn’t figure out what it was, then my husband said ‘it looks as though he’s been shot’.

“And we thought, goodness, we better get it checked.

“Kirsty contacted her vets’ practice; they saw him the next morning and X-rayed him, and he had 20 pellets inside.”

She added: “You can’t actually believe that it’s happened, and that he’s managed to crawl back and he’s still here.”

During emergency surgery on Saturday morning, the vets managed to remove two pellets, but the rest had penetrated too far to reach.

Nox will return to the practice tomorrow, where surgeons will try to remove the remaining shots – including those that have lodged close to his spine.

Pauline, her husband Sinclair, and daughters Katie, 16, and Kirsty, 19, brought Nox into their home – which also includes two other cats, two dogs and four horses – last year. Thankfully, Nox has now started to eat again and is on the road to recovery.

In a post on their Facebook page, local charity Deeside and Kincardine Cats Protection Scotland wrote: “This is unacceptable. A poor defenceless animal. If anyone knows or hears anything please contact the police or Scottish SPCA.

“It’s a small community so someone will probably know something and no doubt the person responsible will not be able to keep this ‘story’ to themselves.”

The charity added that, while they hoped the attack was an isolated incident and would not happen again, “it is imperative that the perpetrator who can use a shotgun on a cat receives lawful justice”.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.”

INJURED: Nox the cat has so far had two pellets removed by vets after he returned home – having gone missing – with numerous pellets still inside.

An X-ray shows the pellets in Nox’s body.