Cat was put down today after being shot by an air rifle

[HaMMuS]

Very sad day for our family today.

We only got our cat Teddy from the CPL about 5 weeks ago, and only started letting him outside 2 weeks ago. Last Thursday he went out and didn't come back. My mum went out to hand out leaflets in our local area today and bumped into a neighbour, who said they'd seen a cat matching his description limping under their hedge late last week.
By a process of elimination and assuming he was trying to make it back to our house, she finally found him lying in a box in another neighbour's shed and immediately took him to the vets.
At first it looked like he'd been hit by a car, but the vet found that he'd been shot by an air rifle, and the pellet had passed through his spine, paralysing his back legs. There was nothing they could do for him except put him to sleep.

I can't begin to fathom how anyone could do something like this, he was wearing a collar with a bell, so obviously belonged to someone.
With his back legs paralysed he must have had to drag himself into our neighbour's shed, which just breaks my heart.
He was five years old, and wouldn't hurt a fly.

R.I.P. Ted, you didn't deserve to go out like you did.

 

[HaMMuS]

Thats a shame, sad to hear.

Do you live in the city? Or near greener areas?

We live in the city, but in an area with quite large gardens. There's at least a dozen cats that I know of in our local area, and I've never heard of anything like this happening before in our area.

 

[HaMMuS]

If the cat was hit close by the house, might be worth asking the parents of the houses who's kid has an air rifle?

The way I see it, he can't have been able to drag himself far from where he was shot, so that implies it was someone local.

 

[HaMMuS]

I don't mind admitting that while reading the OP's information I couldn't help myself and became quite emotional. So sorry for your loss, feel for you and your family. At least he isn't suffering now.

RIP Teddy.

It took me about 20mins to write whilst wiping my eyes every 30 secs

 

[HaMMuS]

Really feel for you, I would be sick to the core with rage knowing what Ted must have gone through.

Seriously report it to the Police though. The chances are that whoever shot the cat lives very close by indeed as I doubt Ted could drag himself that far. Whoever it was needs some sort of caution / big time telling off.

Actually does it not seem a bit strange that you found him in a box? Would he really have been able to get into that? Was it low down? Perhaps the neighbour you spoke to was feeling guilty or knew more than he was letting on?

RIP Ted

I would hope that if the culprit was found (and were of sufficient age) they could be prosecuted under some animal welfare or firearms legislation.
I would assume they are nearby, but I guess yobs driving around taking pot shots could be another explanation, however scary/unlikely.
I think the box in the shed was on its side, allowing him to crawl inside it, plus the neighbours shed and garden fences have holes in to allow her own cats through.

My thanks to everyone for their thoughtful comments and condolences.

 

[HaMMuS]

From what we can gather, it happened either Thursday or Friday last week.

 

[HaMMuS]

We're on Rawcliffe Lane, so could have been someone from nearby, it's not the nicest area of York.

 

[HaMMuS]

Thanks again to everyone for their kind messages and advice, it really is appreciated!

Just an update, we had the local bobby round tonight to take details for an investigation, I'm not sure anything will come from it, but it's a start. He said they've never had any reports of anything like this happening in our area before.
We're also asking round to see if anyone knows someone local who owns an air rifle, or heard shots, but we live about 5-10mins walk from a pretty rough area so they could have come from farther away.
I mentioned going to the local papers to my Mum, she didn't seem fully sold on the idea although I made it clear I thought she should do it. I think it's mainly that she doesn't want her photo in some whiney article really. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, I just want to say thanks once more, it's nice to know you can get support from people you don't know so well, as well as those you do!