A HALLS Head cat owner is warning others to be vigilant after her cat had to be put down following a suspected assault.
Emma Birtwistle had to have her family cat Billy euthanised when he returned with serious injuries on Monday night after he was missing for a week.
“Billy returned suffering a broken jaw in two places, a broken leg in three places and a cracked vertebra,” she said.
“After being attended to by a vet, the vet was confident Billy was abused and kicked in the face.”
Mrs Birtwistle said eight-year-old Billy never went missing so she knew something must had happened.
“We thought he had been hit by a car but to hear that he might have been attacked is terrible,” she said.
“We’re just thankful he returned home so we could say goodbye.”
Mrs Birtwistle initially thought it was a one-off attack but after sharing what had happened to the much-loved cat on Facebook discovered there were others.
“The response was overwhelming,” she said.
“Others have said this has happened to them in the same area.”
Mrs Birtwistle said her family was very upset though thankfully her two children were too young to fully understand.
She said they just wanted to warn other in the Halls Head area to be watchful for their pets’ safety and wellbeing.
“Maybe they can keep their cats indoor more,” she said.
The attack happened in the McLarty Road, Leyburn Drive and Glencoe Parade area.
