Thomas the cat who has survived being shot with an air rifle. Now his owners have decide to rehouse himA distraught cat owner has spoken of her heart-break after deciding to re-house her beloved pet despite its incredible survival after being shot by an air rifle.

Last week the Gazette reported how two cats, both from the Elm Park area of Wootton Bassett, had fallen victim to a sadistic gunman within a space of four days, leaving them with horrific pellet wounds.

Eleven-month-old Thomas, whose owners did not want to be named, was shot on May 21 and vets feared he would not survive the night. The pellet tore through his body, puncturing his lung and piercing his diaphragm, stomach, pancreas and colon.

A week-and-a-half later and Thomas has finally returned home albeit with a vet's bill of over £1,000 and far from his normal self.

But despite his remarkable survival his owner has now decided that Thomas must move to a different home.

The cat's owner said: "We're obviously delighted that he has survived because it really didn't look like he was going to at one stage. He's much happier at home but the danger is still here and it's not fair to keep him locked inside.

"We've been incredibly lucky this time but next time it could be different."

The owner said a new home has been lined up where they would still be able to visit Thomas.

"We haven't made this decision lightly. It's been heart-breaking and a really awful one to have to make but until the police can catch who's responsible we feel we have no choice," she said.

The other cat, called Tabs, that fell prey to the unknown gunman is by coincidence Thomas's sister. Tabs was shot in the neck on May 17 in the same area of Wootton Bassett and was rushed to the vets after her owner found her dripping with blood.

The owner said: "Tabs is on the mend now although we are still going back and forth to the vets. She's still got a high temperature and until that goes down the vet can't remove the pellet from her neck. Hopefully that will be sometime this week but in the meantime we just have to hope it doesn't get infected."

She said she was not going to re-home Tabs but sympathised entirely with Thomas's owners.

She said: "We had heard that some cats had been shot round here but you don't think much more of it until it happens to you. It's just disgusting that there's someone out there that can do this, and not just once only."

Police say two other cats have also been shot in the same area within the last six months, one of which was shot twice. They are continuing their enquiries and suspect the offender to be a local person.

Sgt Andy Fortune said: "We are continuing to make investigations and I have a lot of sympathy with the owners who have been caused a huge amount of upset and suffering as a result of these shootings.

"It is a serious offence and we would urge anyone who has any information to contact us as soon as possible. As always it doesn't matter how small that piece of information might be because it could prove central to out investigations."

Wootton Bassett Police Station can be contacted on (01793) 52213.