A Minster mum has warned pet owners to beware after her cat was shot with an air gun.

Tortoiseshell Mitzy was found to have a huge gash in her stomach by owner Julie Palmer after she had been missing overnight.

An examination by a vet determined the animal had been shot at close range due to the depth of the wound.

Mrs Palmer, 51, from Sanders Court, said she made the horrific discovery when the five-year-old cat “hobbled home” on Friday afternoon.

She said: “Mitzy’s normally quite a lively character, but she was very subdued and quiet.

“Then we saw the wound, which was about 3in long, and we took her straight to the emergency vets in Sheerness.

“It was a total shock and it’s awful to know things like this are happening.

"Why would anyone want to do this to a cat?”

Mrs Palmer, who works as a customer service adviser at Nationwide Building Society in Sheerness, said having had the pellet taken out, her cat will need a second operation to remove a tube being used to drain the injury.

The mother-of-one said she has yet to inform police of the incident but is appealing for owners to be on their guard.

She said: “People need to know this sort of thing is going on. Hopefully, whoever did this will be caught – but until then, families should keep an eye out for their pets.”