A cat owner issued an urgent warning after her pet was "shot at" with a pellet gun.
Abigail Coulson's pet cat Flake came home with a "weird lump" on his leg that felt "gristly". What didn't appear to be an abscess, Abi took Flake - short for Snowflake - to the vet.
It was believed that the two-year-old pet had been "shot at" with a pellet gun, with the pellet having travelled under his skin to the front of his leg. With just weeks before Christmas, this news horrified Abi, from Rock Ferry, who immediately become "concerned".
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She told the ECHO: "He wasn't limping at the time, it was just a lump but we were told it was definitely a pellet lodged. He went the vets on December 1 and they searched for another wound, it was a tiny little cut on the back of his leg and when the vet pulled the scab away there was a hole."
On January 5, Flake underwent an operation to remove the pellet from his leg, costing "£200 for the surgery, along with £65 for the first appointment back in December. Abi added: "We live on Highfield Grove and my friend, who lives at the bottom, said their cat also had a pellet in their leg so someone is clearly targeting cats.
"It's worrying because it's clearly not a one off. My cat is always around Highfield Grove or Browning Ave so it's happened somewhere around there. I'd urge everyone to check your cats. You can't lock cats in, I've tried to keep mine in but it's hard, just be careful.
"Cats are family pets, same as dogs. I've lived here since 2015 and have other cats and nothing like this has ever happened. We've asked the kids on the estate and shops and no-one has heard anything.
"The most important thing is that people know what to watch out for, a small cut or a lump or if your cat is walking funny. People think it won't happen to them but it could. Watch out for your cats."
Merseyside Police confirmed they received reports of the incident and urged anyone with information to contact the force.
A spokesperson said: "We were contacted following a report that a cat had been shot with a pellet gun on November 23, 2022 at an unknown location in Rock Ferry. The pet was injured and required veterinary treatment. Anyone with information can DM @MerPolCC quoting reference 23000014247."
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