A family have been left ‘heartbroken’ after their pet cat died after being shot.
The Perkins family of Nicollete Way in Spalding only found out what had happened to their six-year-old pet Jerry after taking him to Alder Vets.
There, a pellet from an air gun was discovered lodged in his paw.
Jerry’s condition was too advanced and vets decided to put him down.
He was brought as a family pet, particularly for Billy (11) and Freddie (6), before the apparent shooting is believed to have happened.
“We’re heartbroken,” said mum Alice Perkins. “He came in on Monday night and he looked like he was sulking which is not unusual if he’d lost a fight.
“But he could barely walk by Tuesday morning, that’s when we noticed the hole shaped wound on his side.
“My husband Stuart took him to the vets and I thought he’d just have treatment for an infection, but then Stuart rang to say Jerry wasn’t coming home because he’d been shot.
“Billy in particular is devastated. He told me he’s lost his best friend in the world.”
The family believe the incident must have taken place around 8pm on that Monday.
“He was able to get home while struggling to walk so it must have happened close,” Alice said. “I don’t think we could get another cat as I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to that.
“I rang the police. I know the death of a cat is not a big issue for them but it made me think, what if whoever shot missed and hit a child.”
A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said: “Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity to get more information on this for you.”
