A REWARD has been offered by the owners of a two-year-old cat which had to be put down after being paralysed by an air gun pellet.

Jimi, who belonged to Andy and Kay Spires, of Birchfield Road, Headless Cross, was found by the couple's neighbour recently in a poorly condition.

He was taken to Southcrest Veterinary Centre and it was initially thought he had been run over. The cat was paralysed but there appeared to be no signs of it having been hit by a vehicle.

Centre vet Jason Waine carried out an x-ray the following day and it revealed a pellet lodged in Jimi's spine. It was decided he would have to be put down.

Owner Mr Spires said: "We thought Jimi had been run over as we live on a busy road.

"When we heard he'd been shot we were horrified - how could someone even consider doing this?

"We've put up a £50 reward for information because we don't want anyone else to have to go through this with their pet."

Becky Denton, head nurse at Southcrest Veterinary Centre, said: "It makes us so angry someone could purposely do this to an animal.

"Sometimes cats stray into people's gardens and cause a real nuisance. It may be Jimi has done this and the owner has used an air gun to scare him away while not actually intending to hurt him so severely.

"We'd like to stress there are numerous ways to scare a cat away, like spraying a bit of water at them, without having to resort to causing injury or death to someone's pet."

RSPCA inspector Dave Long said it was a "callous, needless act of violence" and urged people with any information to call him immediately.

Calls can be made in confidence to Insp Long on the RSPCA national cruelty and advice line on 08705 555 999.