Owner 'terrified' as cat dies after being shot

The owner of a cat has been left "terrified" after her beloved pet was shot dead with a bullet which could have "killed a child".

Amy Distill let her three-year-old cat, Lucy, out of her home in Red Lodge as normal on the evening of Tuesday, June 18.

Lucy, who had a tracker installed in her collar, did not come home the following day, but Ms Distill said it was normal for her pet.

Lucy was found in Clover Way (Image: Google Maps)

However, concern was raised on Thursday when Lucy had not moved from the location she was last seen on the tracker.

"It was a normal thing for her to go out in the evening. All the cats have trackers on," said Ms Distill.

"I looked at the tracker and it said our address on it. I said to my husband it was a bit strange, but Lucy did do 24-hour stints of not coming home.

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"We made our minds up that Lucy had slipped her collar with the tracker on. Again this happens quite regularly."

Ms Distill set a tracker off on the Friday, which could be heard in a nearby garden in Clover Way. Lucy was found lying at the edge of the garden.

After taking her to the vets, it was quickly established that she had been shot with a three millimetre bullet, believed to be from an airgun.

"It had gone straight through her body," Ms Distill added.

"It is obviously quite a concern as to where we live. The policeman has told me that would be enough to kill a child.

"It is just a scary thing. I have got other cats I'm now terrified to let out."

"We are sorry to hear of yet another incident about a much-loved pet being targeted in this way," said an RSPCA spokesman.

"Sadly, these types of incidents are not uncommon and the charity receives hundreds of calls to investigate airgun shootings every year."

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: "It was reported to police that a cat had been found dead and that it may have been shot.

"The investigation into the incident is ongoing."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Suffolk police quoting crime reference 37/35305/24.