SICK thugs left a beloved pet cat in agony after shooting it with an air rifle.

Ginger tomcat George was discovered by devastated owner Christine O’Toole, 44, at her home in Bentham Street, Mill Hill, Blackburn, last Wednesday.

The maimed moggy was rushed to the vets where x-rays showed an air rifle pellet lodged close to its heart. The pellet entered George’s body just behind his right front leg.

After taking advice from the vet it was decided to leave the pellet were it was because operating on the cat could put its life at risk.

Christine said: “I got home at about 6pm on Wednesday and George was curled up in agony and would not stop howling.

“The pellet has gone in his right side and lodged in there. It’s still inside him which is awful. It’s worrying that there’s some idiot out there taking pot-shots at people’s pets.

“He does not go far from the house so it must be someone quite near who has done this. Pet owners need to be aware of this and keep an eye out for their animals.”

The vet bill following the sickening attack has risen to £174 and Christine said her pet cat was now at home recuperating.

She added: “He’s milking it for everything he can get at the moment, he loves the attention he’s getting from everyone. He seems to be getting better but it was very upsetting at the time when I realised what had happened to him.

“It’s just unbelievable that this would happen to a lovely cat like George. It doesn’t bear thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t of found him. He could have died.”

A police spokesman said the incident has been reported and is being investigated.