CAT owners have been warned to take extra care after a "disgusting" attack on a pet in Bratton.

Richard Moreton and Carol Worth's ginger tom was shot at point blank range with an air gun, shattering his back leg.

Just a few days later another couple's cat from the same street died after being poisoned.

Mr Moreton, of Court Lane, Bratton, said: "The vet told us because of the angle the pellet went in and the position it did, he must have been shot at point blank range.

"So the person who did this must have not wanted to kill the cat and just cause it as much pain and discomfort as possible. It is a criminal offence to be doing this and we want cat owners to be aware because it is very serious and not very nice at all. It's awful knowing that there is some loony going round doing this."

Scribbly, a nine-year-old tom, left the house on the evening of May 7.

When he returned a day later he was hobbling and was unable to put weight on his back leg.

Mr Moreton took him to the vet who performed an X-ray and found the pellet in the shattered back leg.

Since the attack, the couple have put leaflets through letterboxes in the village to appeal for information.

"We spoke to our neighbours just a few doors down and they told us that two of their cats had been poisoned," Mr Moreton said.

"I've no idea why somebody would do this, normally if you want to move a cat on from where it is sleeping you can chuck a bottle of water over it. To shoot it at point blank range is disgusting."

Pc Neil Cochrane, from Westbury police, said: "When Mr Moreton took the cat to the vet they saw its back leg had been shattered.

"It would appear Mr Moreton's cat was shot sometime between 9pm on May 7 and the next evening when the cat came home.

"From the pellet we think it is a .22 air gun and we would ask anyone with information to come forward."

Just a few days after the shooting, two cats living on the same road were poisoned. Eight-year-old Oscar died and three-year-old Alfi is slowly recovering at home.

Owner Nigel Thomas, 34, of Court Lane, said: "It does look a bit suspicious that two of them were both poisoned.

"We don't want to point any fingers but just to make people aware of the problem."