Police probe after cat shooting spree in Waterlooville area

Abby Phillips' cat Alice, held by her son Ben, was shot in Cowplain

Two families are distraught after their pets were maimed by an unknown attacker in the Waterlooville area.

Abby Phillips’ one-year-old cat, Alice, is lucky to be alive after a metal pellet lodged itself into her bladder wall.

The family have since discovered that their other cat, Beatrix, was also shot after an X-ray confirmed the attack.

An X-ray of Alice the cat with the pellet inside her

And more than a mile away in Hazleton Way, Horndean, Michaela Perkins’ family are devastated after their kitten, Sparkle, was shot and had to undergo life-saving surgery.

Police are appealing for members of the public to report suspicious activity.

Mrs Phillips, 45, of Longwood Avenue, Cowplain, said: ‘Alice managed to get herself home and was found indoors when I returned home from work in a lot of pain and obviously seriously ill.

‘I rushed her to the veterinary surgery in Petersfield, where an X-ray showed that she had a pellet lodged in her bladder wall.

Sparkle the kitten who was shot in Horndean

‘She is very lucky to be alive. She underwent surgery the next day and the pellet was removed.’

The mum-of-two added: ‘It just beggars belief that somebody would deliberately cause this much pain and suffering to a defenceless and lovely creature.

‘I understand that some people don’t particularly like cats in the garden, but that does not give them the right to shoot and maim a cat.

‘This incident has been reported to the police and they are obviously very concerned that someone with an air rifle is using it in such a dangerous and reckless manner and harming animals.’

Mrs Perkins, 30, said the shooting tore her cat’s bowel wall and she has had to pay out more than £1,000 in vet bills.

‘She’s had to have two inches of her bowel removed,’ said the mum-of-two.

‘It bounced off her bladder and stomach, so she’s been in a lot of pain.’

She said the attacks were ‘disgusting’.

Alice was shot some time during the day on February 25 and Sparkle was shot between 9am and 3.30pm the day before. It is not known when Beatrix was attacked.

Darryl Hook, a PCSO for the Horndean area, said: ‘This has caused a lot of distress to the owners.’

The RSPCA is also investigating. Call police on 101.