A TOWN vet has spoken about the horrific reality of air gun attacks on cats after new figures revealed shootings were on the increase in the UK.

Lynne Gaskarth, director at Drove Veterinary Hospital agreed with 78 per cent of vets surveyed by charity Cats Protection that feline friends were the most common victims of air gun attacks.

“We see animals in some pretty horrible conditions but it is always awful to see when cats are shot. This thankfully does not happen very often,” she said.

“A lot of the time air gun attacks aren’t spotted straightaway because when they come in it can look like something else, like a dog attack because they leave a large wound.

“Often we will have a cat in, x-ray for something else then find an air gun pellet because it will present itself as a large wound.

“Cats are small moving targets and tend to move slower than rats or mice and of course dogs will usually be with their owners. They are easier to target.

“It doesn’t surprise us anymore even though it is upsetting because people are shooting defenceless animals.”

On June 30 last year, tabby cat Phoebe was found critically injured behind her Ferndale Road home after being shot by an air gun. The five-year-old rescue cat had a bullet lodged in her spine and had to be put to sleep at Drove Vets. Her injuries were so severe vets initially thought she had been attacked by a dog. The gunman was never identified.

The beautiful cat’s killing left her owners Teresa and Steve Pugh distraught. Teresa said at the time:

“It’s heart-breaking. I don’t understand why someone would do something like this, how could they hurt an innocent animal.”

Anita Pile, from Shaw Veterinary Centre said small animals are also at risk of being targeted.

“I don’t know how people can do things like that to animals. The only advice we can give would be to keep animals indoors and to avoid reflective collars which I have never been a fan of,” she said.

“It is always shocking when we see cats that have been shot but luckily we haven’t seen any recently. The last instance we had was a young squirrel that had been shot in the back about a year ago which was upsetting to see."

New statistics from Cats Protection revealed fatal attacks on cats have increased with 46 per cent now proving fatal, compared to 11 percent in 1996.

Now almost 90 percent of vets want to see a change in the law to restrict sale of air weapons.

If you have information on Phoebe's shooting call Wiltshire Police on 101.