A HORRIFIED Hexham woman has described the moment she discovered her pet cat had been shot by an air gun.

Kathie Keady’s nine-month old kitten Alfie suffered devastating spinal injuries in the attack, which left him paralysed from the waist down, and reliant on a catheter.

Five days after the cat was shot in the garden of the family home, Kathie acted on veterinary advice to have Alfie put to sleep.

“I don’t know how anybody could do this,” she said. “My grandchildren have had to come to terms with what has happened. It has devastated our lives.”

Kathie only took in Alfie, a rescue kitten, six months ago, and he was just getting used to going out in the garden when the brutal attack took place, on the morning of Thursday, March 25. 

She explained: “I was in the house and I heard a commotion outside. I didn’t think too much of it but I could hear voices and it sounded like boisterous behaviour.

“A short while afterwards I saw Alfie had come back in the house. He was lying down and looked worn out.”

It quickly emerged that Alfie couldn’t use his back legs, and had to drag them along just to walk.

“We were told that due to the extent of his injuries, Alfie must have been shot at close range,” said Kathie. Who would do something like this? He may have been a cat, but this is still a life which has been lost, a part of our family.

“Somebody will have information about what happened,” said Kathie. “They will have this on their conscience, and I would encourage anyone who knows anything to come forward.

It’s concerning that someone is out and about in our community with a firearm, and using it in this manner.

“Education is vital here. If Alfie’s life has been taken in the name of sport, they need to realise that whatever kicks they got out of it, this has had a devastating impact. It happened in broad daylight.”

Kathie paid tribute to the support of Scott Mitchell vets in Hexham, and also the support she received from residents, including Coun. Cath Homer, who condemned the attack.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We received a report a cat had been shot by a pellet gun outside an address in Hexham.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police by using the ‘Tell us Something’ page on the force website, quoting log 290260321.