A Brechin cat has lost an eye after being targeted with what is thought to be a nut gun.
Vets had to remove Bubba’s eye after pulling a hex nut out of her head during surgery on Monday.
It is thought Bubba is the second cat to have been targeted in Brechin in the past week.
Owner Allison Leay, who lives in the north of the town, is concerned children could end up being injured and also wants to warn other pet owners.
Brechin cat owner ‘devastated’ after ‘nut gun’ injury
She said: “We are absolutely devastated at what has happened.
“It seems someone is out there firing a DIY nut and bolt gun.
“I have no idea if Bubba was deliberately targeted but she is the second cat I know of in the area to have had a nut or a bolt removed in the past week.
“My neighbour’s cat had to have a nut removed from a head wound.”
Allison says she realised Bubba was not her usual self on Monday.
She said:Â “I went to find her and she was sitting on the sofa with her back to me.
“When I saw the state of her eye I was horrified.
“It looked a mess and was bleeding really badly.”
Allison took Bubba to the vet who, after examination, discovered the nut lodged deep within the cat’s eye.
Allison said: “It was so far in it wasn’t even visible to the naked eye.
‘Considerable force’ used to lodge nut in Brechin cat’s eye
“The vet told me considerable force would have been needed to lodge the nut so deep in the eye – being fired from a tool is the most likely explanation.
“He told me it was the second nut he had removed from a cat in recent days.
“The other cat had to have a nut removed from its head and sadly Bubba lost her eye.
“She is now very quiet and understandably feeling very sorry for herself.”
The incident has also cost Allison an initial £600 for vet treatment, with follow-up appointments also likely.
She added: “It’s unbelievable to think someone could be doing this deliberately and I want to warn other pet owners.
“However, I also want to warn parents and children to be very vigilant.
“This happened really close to the high school and it would be just awful if a child was hit and injured.”
A Police Scotland are appealing for information after two cats were found to have injuries to their eyes between April 24 and May 29 within the Latch Road, Provost Millar Avenue area of the town.
Constable Batard from Brechin Police Office said “When one of the cats was treated by a vet a hex nut was found in an eye socket suggesting that something similar to a catapult was used to injure the cats.
“I would appeal to anyone with information that can assist the enquiry to contact police on 101 quoting CR/197711/24.”
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