An Ipswich pet owner has told of her shock when her much-loved cat was shot twice with an air rifle.
Emma Knights, who lives in the Clapgate Lane area of Ipswich, said former rescue cat Lizzie was in a lot of pain at the time.
The cat is recovering well - but her owner is now scared about letting her outside.
"It was horrible. Lizzie was shot twice in her stomach, " she said. "She had only been out for about 20 minutes and then came in.
"She wasn't whimpering, but she had a wet patch and blood on her.
"I had a look and saw a pellet which was partly sticking out, and managed to remove it. "
The four-year-old tabby was shot in the area around the top of Clapgate Lane between 6.50pm and 7pm on Wednesday, July 7.
Police are trying to find out what happened and appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Mrs Knights and husband Gavin took the cat to the vet, who removed a second pellet which was embedded in her. "We were really shocked to realise she had been shot twice."
The couple originally rehomed Lizzie from the RSPCA in Maldon. "She had been abandoned, poor little thing," Mrs Knights said.
"She is such a lovely, quiet cat and so friendly - she doesn't even growl at anyone.
"We were really shocked and so were our neighbours and the vet. Nobody has heard of anything like this happening in our area before."
She said Lizzie had always been a home-loving cat, who does not go very far, stays in the house a lot and uses a litter tray.
They kept her in for several days after her injury, and, although they were now allowing her out again, she had not ventured beyond her own garden. "We are quite frightened to let her out."
She added they kept the cat in on the night of the Euros final on Sunday, after she was injured on the night of the England semi-final against Denmark, just in case the incident had any link with the football.
Anyone who has any information about the shooting or saw anything suspicious is asked to contact Suffolk police, quoting crime reference: 37/36763/21
Visit the website, call 101 or email Sally.King@suffolk.police.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here