IPSWICH: A distraught cat owner has today called for the dogs, which mauled his family pet to death, to be destroyed and branded them a danger to children.

Patch the cat was heavily pregnant when two Staffordshire bull terriers attacked her, leaving her with devastating injuries.

Police are today investigating the horrific attack which unfolded in Lavender Hill, Chantry, at about 4.20pm yesterday.

Owners Gordon ‘Lofty’ Leighton and his son John, of Crocus Close, said they are “devastated” at losing their “gorgeous” Patch and warned next time it could be a child that is harmed.

Lofty, a lorry driver, said: “She was adorable, absolutely gorgeous.

“She was pregnant, due to drop any day, we think she was having three or four kittens.

“To say I am shocked is a sweet way of putting it. We are gutted.

“Those dogs should be destroyed, they are clearly dangerous. It could have been a child.”

Harry Patel, owner of Lavender News, watched as the two dogs, who were running freely in the street, savagely mauled the cat.

He said the dogs’ owners were throwing balls for them when the cat got stuck in the middle.

“It was very violent, the dogs were out of control, it was very distressing,” he said.

Another eyewitness, who asked not to be named, described one of the dogs grabbing Patch in its mouth and viciously shaking her back and forth.

The woman, who lives in Lavender Hill, said: “I saw two dogs outside, but all of a sudden one of them ran through a fence.

“I saw the cat try to jump out of the way but she fell.

“It was savage, I screamed and tried to stop them. The dog had the cat in its mouth and was shaking her, it was horrible to watch.

“There are always kids around there, it could have been one of them. It was really frightening, I have never seen anything like it.”

The five-year-old black and white moggy was rushed to a nearby vet, but was put to sleep shortly after arriving.

Lofty added: “We own a Staffie and he is soft as anything, well trained and would never do something like this. If we can control our dog why can’t others?”

And his son John added: “It has really upset us, she was my cat. We have had her since she was tiny. She was lovely, she had a proper little character, she would boss Harvey, our Staffie around.”

n Should the dogs be destroyed? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@evening star.co.uk