Nottinghamshire cat put down after being shot with airgun pellet

Tommy was found by strangers but managed to crawl home

A cat which had his spine damaged after being shot at with an airgun pellet has been put to sleep.

Tommy, a four-year-old black and white cat, was found injured in Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, on Tuesday night.

His owner Katie McNab said the whole family was "devastated" when he died on Thursday morning due to the extent of internal damage.

She has now appealed for CCTV footage because "we just want to know what happened to him".

Ms McNab said she got home on Tuesday evening and was shocked when she looked at social media.

"The first thing I saw was a post about an injured cat and it was Tommy," she said.

"I shot out the door to look for him but then was called home because Tommy had managed to crawl back home."

Examinations revealed the extent of his injuries caused him to be paralysed

Ms McNab has described the state her pet was in when he came home, adding: "His legs were floppy and he could only drag himself around.

"It was absolutely horrible to watch. The whole family is just devastated."

He was taken to the PDSA animal charity where vets found a pellet had shattered and damaged his spine.

This, along with injuries to his bladder and bowel, meant he was put to sleep on Wednesday morning.

Ms McNab said: "I have been really surprised at how many people have responded to this and offered sympathy and wanted to be helpful.

"So I am asking for doorbell footage and CCTV from the Rivermead, Colston Gate area on Tuesday night.

"We want to find out which direction he came from and what actually happened."

Ryan Rouse, Nottingham PDSA Pet Hospital Leader, said their thoughts were with the devastated family, adding: "Distressingly, injuries from airgun pellets are something we do see far too frequently, they can cause serious injury or even death, and it's a horrendous experience for cats and their owners to endure. Anyone caught deliberately using an airgun to injure an animal can face up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine, if found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act."