1 week Ago By [email protected] (Cara Simmonds)
A mum is warning other cat owners after her family’s beloved pet had to be put down when it was shot with an air weapon. Sarah Collishaw, from West Malling , was shocked to get a call from her vet saying the two-year-old ragdoll had been brought in badly injured. The cat had been hit by three pellets and left partially paralysed.
Two days later, it had to be put to sleep. “It's been horrific,” she said. “Six of us went to say goodbye to him but he was so drugged up, he didn't even know.
“I don't think there was any recognition that he knew us, which was sad.” Darcie, thought to be a female but later discovered to be a male, was described as "a real character" and was "adored" by Sarah, her partner Matt and their children. The family last saw him on the evening of Sunday, March 23 before going to bed.
Sarah said the fluffy feline didn’t normally venture that far away from home and usually stuck to lounging around the house. But on Monday morning she got a call from her vet explaining that he had been dropped off by another woman. “He had been shot with three pellets, from some sort of slingshot or BB gun,” the 45-year-old said.
“He was in a lot of shock and freezing cold. “I just burst into tears,” she added. “I was in absolute shock.
You just can't believe it. “The fact that he’d been shot – you just don’t expect to hear that. But the vet told me it wasn’t the first time they had seen this.
” “I was a bit panicked and didn’t know what to do. “We knew that we were going to have to tell the children when they got home from school which was horrific.” Darcie was found in King Hill – less than 100 yards away from their home in Orwell Spike – lying by the side of the road.
The cat was transferred to the Pennard Vets branch in Sevenoaks, which has a 24-hour emergency hospital. One of the pellets was in his shoulder and had caused a lot of internal bleeding. The bottom half of his body was paralysed and he had lost all feeling in his back legs.
The family had to make a difficult decision and sadly, two days later Darcie was put down. Sarah said: “Even if they had stopped the bleeding, we still were in a situation where we wouldn't be able to help him go to the toilet at home. “They said it would be the kindest thing.
He was only two and quite active. “He would be in a basket all day long for the rest of his life. It was a horrible thought.
” She added: “The children have all really struggled with it. “It’s very worrying. If someone can do that to a defenceless cat then what’s next?” The family also have a two year-old golden retriever called Cosmo and a 10-year-old British shorthair cat called Betsy.
Darcie’s vet bills have cost Sarah around £2,500, on top of the £1,000 she paid for the pedigree cat. Sarah has since posted on social media, warning other pet owners in the area. “Just be vigilant,” she added.
“Maybe don’t let your cats out overnight, because I have regretted it. “Keep them shut indoors, which sounds horrible, but I think that's the only way to keep them safe.” Police have confirmed they received a report at 7.
11pm on Thursday, March 27 that an injured cat had been found at the junction of King Hill and Orwell Spike in West Malling. A spokesman for the force said: “The incident is thought to have taken place between 10pm on March 23 and 12pm on March 24. “The cat was taken to a local veterinary hospital where it was confirmed to have sustained injuries consistent with being shot by an air weapon.
“The cat later died as a result of its injuries and an investigation into the circumstances is underway.” Anyone with information is urged to call the West Kent appeals line on 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/52221/25..
