Family pet may lose its leg after being shot

A “sweet, timid little girl” may lose a leg after a southeast Queensland couple discovered their beloved cat had been shot. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

A Moreton Bay region couple has been left shocked and angry after discovering their beloved cat had been shot.

Cruskit the seven-year-old cat has endured tests, X-rays and an operation as vets tried to save the beloved family member.

The moggy may even lose a limb as investigations into the cruel act commence.

Tiarne James has lived in a suburban area of Burpengary with her partner for almost two years.

The 23-year-old said the area and her neighbours were nice.

“We’ve never had a problem since we’ve moved here,” Ms James said.

Cruskit the cat was shot with what her owners suspect was an air rifle. Picture: Contributed.

That all changed recently when she returned home to notice Cruskit struggling to walk.

“(She) was meowing a bit differently and I noticed she couldn’t put any weight on her back leg,” Ms James said.

“It (her leg) was just hanging there – she would just walk a little bit and then fall over.

“I took her straight to the vet, thinking she had maybe jumped off something and gotten her leg caught.”

X-rays however uncovered the disturbing truth, Cruskit had been shot with a bullet still lodged in her tiny body.

X-rays uncovered Cruskit had been shot. Picture: Contributed.

The bullet entered her stomach and hit her shin bone before splitting in two and shattering her leg.

Ms James said vets believed the angle Cruskit was shot at indicated she was laying down, defenceless.

“Cruskit is an indoor cat and definitely not a roamer but she does sometimes get out,” she said.

“She is a very nervous kitty, so I have not seen her outside of our yard.

“I have no idea how this has happened to her.

“We’re in such a suburban area, if we were around properties or something like that, it would be more understanding -people protecting their livestock maybe.

“For such a suburban area it is a big shock, my partner was so angry.”

Cruskit the cat is recovering after surgery. Picture: Contributed.

The duo immediately spoke to neighbours and notified the community of the incident via social media.

“We printed out over 60 letters and handed them in to all different neighbours,” Ms James said.

“We have contacted police and RSPCA.

“It was a massive shock, there’s accidents that you expect to happen but not your cat being shot – the vet bills are not at all cheap.”

Unfortunately for the family and Cruskit it may not be the end of her ordeal.

“There is an extremely high risk of infection with gunshot wounds and she may still have to undergo another surgery,” Ms James said.

“She’s now on a strong dose of antibiotics and we have to go back to the vet in 10 days time for another xray.

“The chance of it being infected is pretty high so she may have to have another operation or amputate her leg.”

“She’s doing pretty well, she’s a tough little cat.

“Fingers crossed for this next check up that she does get to keep her leg.”

Bullet fragments removed from Cruskit the cat after she was shot near her home in Burpengary. Picture: Contributed.

RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty urged anyone with information to come forward.

“Contact the RSPCA on 1300 animal if you know anything,” he said.

“The potential penalty if this was proved to be animal cruelty would be a maximum of three years imprisonment.”

For more information or to help the couple save Cruskit’s leg you can visit this link.