A CAT owner has hit out after her family pet was shot with an air rifle.

Jackie Rawstron said she was devastated to discover her one-year-old black cat ‘Baby Girl’ had been hit in the shoulder with a lead pellet.

The 48-year-old said the distressed cat was lucky to be alive as its injuries ‘could have been much worse’.

Animal campaigners said this was the third incident in Hyndburn where a cat had been targeted with an air rifle this year.

Mrs Rawstron, of Burnley Road, Accrington, said: “We’re lucky, it could have been so much worse.

“We have absolutely no clue who could have done this.

“Unfortunately I think the chances of catching the people who did it are few and far between.

“You don’t expect to let your cat out and it to come back with a pellet in it’s shoulder.

“But you do get some strange people knocking about.

“Next time it could be a child that is injured.”

The cat had been with Mrs Rawstron’s daughter Natasha De-Main when the incident happened at 9pm on Saturday just yards from their home.

After noticing the cat was hurt Mrs De-Main removed the pellet with tweezers.

Earlier this year stray cat Rufus who was found in Accrington after being shot in the head with an air rifle.

He was cared for by the Friends of the Cats charity in the town and later rehomed.

This came less than two weeks after cat Jasper was shot six times in Oswaldtwistle.

Andy Richards from Friends of the Cats said it was ‘terrible’ these incidents were still continuing.

He said: “It’s just horrific to hear that these sort of things are happening.

“You just hope the cat fully recovers fully and those responsible are caught.

“It’s a terrible thing to happen.”

Mrs Rawstron, who has four other cats, three dogs, a rabbit, chickens and racing pigeons, said ‘Baby Girl’ was now safely recovering at home.

The young cat was taken in by the family around nine months ago after being found living as a stray.

Cllr Eamon Higgins, who represents the area on Hyndburn Council, said: “It’s just completely diabolical.

“There are no words for people that go around shouting harmless animals.

“I just hope the incident is thoroughly investigated and police catch the perpetrators.”

A police spokesman said: “We are aware that the incident took place and we have passed the information on to the local neighbourhood team for them to look into.”