Vet operated on her shot cat

Shock as owner found beloved moggie had been badly wounded by air pellet

An Elgin vet had to operate on her own cat after the animal had been shot. Laura Fennimore of Wards Veterinary Centre said she was shocked to find her pet had an air rifle pellet embedded in her jaw.

She has reported the incident to the police and is also taking it up with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Ms Fennimore said her two-year-old black and white moggie Figs returned to her home at Shempston near Duffus on March 8 with a swollen chin and what looked like a scab on her face.

She said: “She seemed a bit upset and grumpy, but she can be a bit grumpy anyway.

“She tried to eat, and was still wanting to play and sleep, so I didn’t think it was too bad, but I thought I’d better bring her in to have a better look.”

Ms Fennimore was horrified to find Figs had been shot through her upper jaw, with the pellet breaking five teeth and passing through the lower jaw to embed itself in the skin.

She said: “What I thought was a scab on the lip was a pellet hole.”

Figs is recovering well, but Ms Fennimore fears she may be left with the feline equivalent of posttraumatic stress disorder.

She said: “I know I’m acting a bit like a paranoid mum, but it’s been quite an ordeal and a shame for a poor little innocent cat.

“It was strange at first operating on my own pet, and not my favourite day, but you treat her like any other cat.”

Ms Fennimore said air rifle attacks on cats have become quite rare, and she is unaware of other similar incidents in the neighbourhood.

She said: “I realise Figs could very nearly not have come back.

“I want people to be aware of what’s happened and to be vigilant, though I’m not advocating that people keep their cats indoors if they’re used to going out.”

Scores of people took to Wards Vets social media page to express their outrage and horror at the incident. Police said they are aware of what had happened and will be investigating.

RECOVERING: Figs with her owner, vet Laura Fennimore, who found the pet had been shot through the jaw

An X-ray shows the pellet, and Figs during her surgery