Cat dies after being shot with rifle

The RSPCA is appealing for information after a young female cat had to be put to sleep due to injuries sustained in a shooting in North Yorkshire.

The grey and white tabby's owners thought she had been hit by a car when she returned home to Whitewall, Norton, on 5 May after being missing for a week and could not use her back legs.

But an examination by a vet found an entry wound to her abdomen and a shattered femur. Fragments retrieved suggest she had been shot with a live round from a .22 rifle.

Despite emergency surgery, she had to be put to sleep the next day on medical advice.

The RSPCA is asking pet owners living in Welham Road, Whitewall Corner Hill and the surrounding area in Norton to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.

The animal charity has received nearly 500 reports about weapon attacks on animals over the past three years, including incidents involving guns, catapults and crossbows.

Anyone with information about the shooting should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018, quoting reference number 01795343.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.