A MAN has warned cat lovers to be on their guard following attacks on his two pets.

Daniel Murphy (20) from Lancaster Close, Earlestown contacted the Star after finding one of his pet cats badly injured and the other being tossed in the air by a gang of young men.

He said: "I let my two cats, Newman and Voix, out as usual on the evening of Thursday, February 10 but when I called them in, only Voix came back. I searched for Newman for ages and finally found him shivering in the back garden. He was bleeding from his paws and he had been hurt down his side as well and needed stitches.

"At first I thought he had fallen from a tree or been attacked by a dog but the vet said his injuries didn't correspond to either of these."

Then on the following evening (Friday, February 11) between 8 and 8.30pm, Daniel spotted a gang of men aged in their 20s who had caught Voix and were tossing him high into the air and letting him drop onto the pavement.

Daniel added: "I was horrified. A friend who was visiting ran out and tried to catch them but they all ran off. And later, when my friend was leaving the gang were waiting outside and threatened both of us.

"Luckily, Voix wasn't too badly injured but he is still very shocked and he won't let anyone go near him now. I can't believe anyone could be so cruel to a defenceless animal and I am sure this gang were responsible for Newman's injuries as well.

"I have told the police and they are now looking into it but I would like to warn other cat owners in the area to be on their guard. I don't think I'll be letting my cats outside again for a while."

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