LILY, a three-year-old grey cat, is recovering after she was allegedly shot in the leg with an air rifle. The cat had gone missing from its home on The Bluff on August 3 but returned three days later with a swollen leg. 

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The cat’s owner, who prefers to remain anonymous due to an ongoing investigation, said they were actively searching for Lily and appealing to the community for help locating her.

Returning home wounded 

When Lily finally returned home, her owner immediately noticed that her front leg was severely swollen.

“There was only one visible puncture wound, so initially I assumed that she may have been bitten by another cat. I took her to the vet as soon as I could, which was the following day. The vet initially thought that a piece of steel or a metal object may have punctured her leg and that part of it could still be lodged inside,” said the cat owner. 

Later that day, the owner received a call from the vet suggesting that Lily’s injury was caused by an air rifle. 

“I was absolutely horrified. It was heartbreaking to think that while I was desperately searching for her, she was somewhere injured and in pain, trying to make her way home. I believe the severity of her injury may have been why she was unable to get home sooner,” said the owner. 

A sweet rescue

Lily was rescued as a kitten and, although her exact breed is unknown, she has become a much-loved member of the family. According to the owner, she has always enjoyed spending time outdoors.

Lily’s recovery is expected to be slow and intensive.

“The bone in her front leg has been shattered into multiple pieces and is currently not functional. She has an open wound and there is also a risk of infection. We are hoping that the leg will heal, but there is a possibility that she may never regain proper use of it. If it does not heal through the treatment process, amputation may unfortunately be the only option,” said the owner. 

Fearing for the worst 

The incident has left Lily’s owner fearful about allowing her outside again.

“I am now terrified to ever let Lily outside because I do not know who is responsible or whether they could hurt her again. It isn’t fair that she has to lose her freedom because someone chose to hurt her,” said the owner. 

SPCA intervention

The owner has spoken to the SPCA about the incident. However, with the person responsible still unidentified, there is currently limited action that can be taken.

The SPCA advised that notices could be placed on lampposts in the area to raise awareness.

The owner is more worried that Lily’s case may not be an isolated incident and that animal cruelty in the Crossways area could become a normal recurrence.

“Someone needs to be held accountable before another animal suffers like Lily has. Lily has a voice through me, and I intend to use it,” said the owner.

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