A CAT has lost an eye after being shot with an air rifle in Dudley.

When Milo, an 18-month-old black longhair cat, returned to his home in Somery Road on May 15, his owner, Laurie Haywood, immediately knew something was wrong.

She said: “Milo only recently started going outside three months ago and he didn’t venture far, a couple of streets away at most. He's quite a character and he's really affectionate, he loves people.

"On that Sunday evening, I opened the door and he was collapsed on the door step. He walked into the kitchen really slowly and made an odd noise.

"I followed him and that's when I saw his injury - it was horrific, his eye was out of the socket and filled with blood. He must have been in so much pain."

The mother-of-one rushed Milo to Blacks Vets in Dudley, where he was immediately treated for shock and she was later told that his eye could not be saved.

Laurie, aged 31, continued: “They did an x-ray to see if the pellet had gone into his brain, and thankfully it hasn’t. The vet thinks that the pellet has gone into his jaw.

“Milo is the same cat - he has come home and he is still Milo. But it could have been a very different story if the pellet had gone into his brain.

"I'm trying to keep him inside now, I'm having panic attacks at the idea of him going out as it seems as though he was targeted. I'm very lucky, I could have lost my cat."

The financial controller said she thought the chances of catching the culprit were slim but she wanted to make fellow cat owners aware of what was going on.

RSPCA inspector Steve Morrall, who is investigating the shooting, said: “This is a shocking incident which has left a young cat with horrific injuries and in a lot of pain. "It has been incredibly distressing not only for Milo but for his owners too.

“At the moment we know very little about when and why this has happened, and who shot the poor cat. We want to hear from anyone who may have heard or seen anything which might help us find out what happened."

Anyone with information is asked to call the RSPCA in complete confidence on 0300 123 8018.