A BELOVED cat who was deliberately shot may lose his leg due to his horrific injuries.

Chester, who is only two years old, arrived home in pain on Tuesday afternoon after being shot by someone with an air rifle.

The much-loved pet has since undergone an operation which aims to save his leg from being amputated.

His owner, Avril Macqueen, said: “There’s a huge chance of infection because of the bullet so the wee soul could lose his leg. And if he keeps his leg, it will probably be three months recovery for him, so it’s a very significant injury.”

Chester

Chester

Avril’s daughter Laura Macqueen was at home with her dad Alistair when Chester showed up crying.

Laura, 21, said: “My dad was in the living room and he heard a yowling from outside the window, which is often the noise that Chester makes when he’s brought home a wee mouse.

“But it started to continue so my dad looked out, and Chester was sat with his paw held up. We got him into the kitchen, and it was very, very clear that he had a broken leg.

“His paw was facing the wrong way, he was holding it up and he couldn’t put any weight on it at all, so I phoned the vet and they said to take him down immediately. We assumed he had been hit by a car.”

Due to coronavirus, Laura and Alistair couldn’t go into the vet with Chester and waited outside in the car.

During a phone call, they were told x-rays hadn’t been carried out yet, but it was thought the cat had been hit by a vehicle.

The pair, from Bearsden, were told to go home and wait for another phone call.

Laura added: “About three-and-half hours later I get a phone call, and the vet said, ‘his leg is very badly broken; however, he’s not been hit by a car, he’s been shot’.

“There was a gunshot pellet in his leg, and his leg has completely shattered.

Chester pre-op

Chester pre-op

“I started crying because there’s a huge difference between an accident where someone has hit him, and the fact that someone has intentionally hurt him. I actually felt sick.

“It took me a good 60 seconds before I could even respond. I couldn’t get any words.”

Chester was then taken to the University of Glasgow Veterinary School where he underwent his operation.

Chester post-op

Chester post-op

Avril said: “Chester’s not just a cat, he’s our family. It’s a family member they’ve done this to.

“It is just horrific because it’s been a gunshot. It’s not just been an accident.

“My son went round the neighbours to tell them what’s happened and warn them, and he found out that another cat in our street had been shot in April last year.

“Also, 11 or 12 years ago, one of our neighbours who we do know, their cat was shot, so it’s quite alarming. That is why I want to raise awareness – because that’s three cats and it’s a big cause for concern.

“I’ve no idea if any cats have gone missing, but had they killed Chester, then he’d probably just been put in the bin and we would have never known what happened to him.

“We’d really like to find out who this was so the police can deal with this.”

Avril added: “I personally don’t think that the law is strong enough for people who hurt animals. Someone who can deliberately hurt an animal is a very dangerous person."

Chester

Chester

Madison Rogers, of Cats Protection, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the injuries sustained by Chester, and we hope he makes a good and swift recovery following his ordeal.

“Air gun shootings can leave cats with appalling and painful injuries, cause a great deal of stress for their owners and are of concern to the wider community.

“We’d urge anyone with any information about this case to contact the police. If any other cat owner thinks their cat may have been shot, it’s important to seek veterinary assistance quickly and report it to the police.”

A Police Scotland spokeswoman added: “On Wednesday, we received a report that a cat had allegedly been shot by an air rifle in Bearsden.

“The cat is believed to have been injured on Tuesday and is currently receiving medical treatment at the Glasgow Vet School.

“Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 1083 of March 24, 2021.”