A family whose cat was shot and nearly killed by an air gun earlier this month has spoken of the trauma suffered by their pet, and themselves, and is urging others to be vigilant.

There have been three reported incidents of cat shootings within a two-week period in north Pembrokeshire, two of which have been fatal.

In Newport a family pet was found dead around two weeks ago, an autopsy carried out by the vets revealed that it had been shot with an air gun pellet.

In Fishguard a cat was shot in the Dan y Bryn area on the evening of May 5. A further pet was shot the next evening, May 6, in the area of Plas y Fron just streets away from the original shooting.

Western Telegraph:

The X-ray shows how close the pellet has lodged to Jemima's spine

One cat sustained injuries to its leg which had to be amputated. However, the cat developed further complications and had to be put to sleep.

The third cat, two-year-old Jemima, is making a slow recovery, the air gun pellet struck just below her neck and has lodged just millimetres from her spine.

“When we found her, she was unable to walk, and had no use in her hind legs,” said her owners. “We are incredibly lucky that the projectile did not strike any vital organs or any blood vessels.”

Just over a week after the shooting, Jemima is making a slow recovery. She is currently having daily treatment at the vets to reduce the swelling and the pain and has started to gain the use of her legs, albeit slowly.

Her owners say that they are ‘cautiously hopeful’ that she is now out of any immediate danger. However, the awfulness of the shooting still remains with them.

Western Telegraph:

The pellet was was millimetres away from severing Jemima's spine

“We are shocked and horrified that somebody living near to our house has wilfully inflicted this cruelty to our family pet, and we are very concerned about other similar reports in our area,” they said.

“We hope that our community will remain vigilant, and that any further incidents are reported to both the police and the RSPCA.”

Andrew Clemens, owner Fishguard Veterinary Services, said that this kind of animal cruelty was rare in the Fishguard area, with the last case estimated to be around ten years ago.

“People don’t think an air gun pellet is powerful, but it is to a cat,” he said. “Two out of the three cats have not survived.

“With Jemima, if it had been a centimetre in a different direction, it probably would have severed her spine. She survived probably by millimetres.

“It is causing profound injuries to the cats and what must be horrific pain.”

Anyone who has any information about these incidents or have witnessed anything relating to these incidents shoud contact PC 543 Rowlands of Dyfed Powys Police at christian.rowlands@dyfed-powys.police.uk, quoting crime reference number DPP/0026/07/05/2022/02/C.