A CAT owner has told of her horror after her beloved pet was shot by airgun-wielding thugs.

The 18-month-old black-and-white cat Molly narrowly escaped death after being shot for the second time in Westbury and now faces losing the sight in one eye.

Angry owner Sheila Standen, of Cedar Grove, said: “Molly had only been out for 15 minutes when she came home and blood was all over the wall and in the dining room.

“Her eye was a mess and we could see that something was in there.

“There is a 50/50 chance she could go now go blind in that eye.”

Vet Victoria Mills, who treated Molly when she was rushed to Harris Hill and Gibbons after the attack, which happened around 9.30am on August 23, said the shot was fired from close range.

She said: “By the looks of it she was shot facing the gun from only a few metres away.

“The pellet entered just above the right eye, avoiding her pupil.

“If the shot had been one centimetre further down then Molly could have died.

“The pellet has gone back and lodged next to her ear.

“It is too close to call right now, but Molly could either lose her sight fully or partially.

“Hopefully she can make a full recovery.”

The surgeon said her practice is finding increasing evidence that pets in Westbury are being used for target practice by heartless airgun owners.

She added: “This is a common occurrence in Westbury.

“Often we will find the remains of pellets in cats and many other animals on routine check-ups.

“They can get stuck inside the animal, move about and cause further injury.

“Whoever is doing it needs to stop as it can be fatal.”

Mrs Standen, who first had to take Molly to the vets for treatment last year after she came home limping and bleeding where she had been shot in a paw, has now been left with vets bills totalling over £1,400.

She added: “Last year’s treatment cost me £600. Now it has cost me £800 for the first operation.

“The pellet is so far deep in her eye that they must wait for the swelling to reduce to prevent any further loss of sight before deciding whether to operate again.

“I am reluctant to let her out any more as it can’t happen again.”

Wiltshire Police said: “Officers have conducted house-to-house enquiries in the area. Anyone who has any information in relation to the incident should call 101.”

Mrs Standen added: “If anyone has any information on who is doing this, please tell the police so we can keep our pets safe.”