A much loved family cat is facing complex and risky surgery after being cruelly shot by a mystery gunman.
Two year old Padme managed to make it back to her Apsley home after the attack - believed to have happened overnight on Friday - where she collapsed in the hallway.
Owner Vanessa Neil-Turnball, of High Ridge Road, rushed the feline to the town’s Medivet and now she is at a specialist unit in Beds that deals with complicated surgeries.
Mum-of-two Vanessa, who believes the shooting happened nearby because Padme does not stray far from home, said: “Obviously I’m very upset about what has happened. My children are extremely upset as well.
“I want to warn other cat owners and appeal for anyone that knows any information about it to come forward.”
A scan has revealed that a bullet from an air gun is lodged in the cat’s chest and has caused damage to her lung.
Anyone with information should contact Herts Police on the non-emergency number quoting crime reference D1-13-4956. It has also been reported to the RSPCA.