A CAT came home 'spurting blood' after being shot with an air rifle in Poole.

One-year-old Luna, described as "the most beautiful" and "sweetest" black kitten, suffered damage to five of her organs following the attack in Oakdale.

She was then rushed to the vets where they found a clear wound and decided to keep her in overnight where she ‘became aggressively worse with a spiked temperature.’

The one-year-old underwent emergency surgery, successfully removing the bullet that ‘went through five organs and then got stuck in her stomach.’

Luna lives with her owner Char Amy, 27, mother to ten-week-old baby Jake living in Poole.

Jake and Luna have also become very attached and Char said: “The cat is so protective over the baby - he's only ten weeks now and from minute [one] the cat has just been by his side.”

“It's just vile what people do.”

Char went on to speak about the dangers of firearms. She added: "At the end of the day, it needs to be stopped now because there are so many cats that have been injured and it's ridiculous.

"If they could do that to an animal, what can they do to someone? It might just be a cat, but it's scary."

Dorset Police received a report at 9.13am on Friday, September 1, that a cat had suffered injuries after being struck with a pellet, believed to be from an air rifle, in Poole and was receiving medical treatment.

The incident was reported to have occurred between 7.30pm and 9pm on Thursday 31 August 2023 in the area of Rectory Road.

Police Constable Matt Brown, of Poole Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “I would urge anyone with information regarding this incident, or who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area of Rectory Road during the evening of Thursday 31 August 2023 to please contact us.”

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “We hope the cat is making a recovery after such a horrendous ordeal and encourage anyone who knows who did this to share this information.

"The RSPCA continues to call for stricter regulations around owning an air rifle in England and Wales.

"Better education, basic safety training for owners, and a thorough explanation of the law - including our legal obligations towards animals - could help protect countless animals from attacks in the future."