AN outraged cat owner was shocked to discover that her pet was shot at on more than one occasion with an air gun.

Kathleen Batten, 64, of Glenmoor Close in Ensbury Park, Bournemouth, was horrified when she took her cat to the vet last week and three pellets were found in its body.

She said she noticed the first injury several weeks ago: “When the cat came home with a wound in its neck, at first I thought it was maybe a tick. But when the scab came off it was perfectly round underneath.”

The one-year-old pure white cat called Whisper is now recovering from the latest shot that went through his back, bowel and intestine.

Mrs Batten said if she had brought Whisper to the vet any later, he would have died. She has since contacted the police and an investigation is now under way.

“I can’t believe someone would want to hurt an innocent animal. I want whoever it was to be brought to justice,” she added.

Dorset Police said it treated such incidents very seriously and that they would be calling on residents near to where the attack happened for information.

Mrs Batten said that since the incident, she and her family have become “neurotic listening out for gun shots” and are warning neighbours with cats to keep an eye on their pets.

Animal welfare charity, the RSPCA said they had received 14 calls so far this year with reports of air guns being used to target animals in Dorset.

A spokesman said: “It is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal and people who are caught shooting pets with air guns should be warned that they could find themselves appearing at the magistrates’ court if they are caught committing such an act of cruelty.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101 and quote crime number C:14:C:047310.