Sussex Police investigate shooting of two cats in Lancing

Pets Houdini and Teddy were taken to the vets after being shot in separate incidents last week. Their distraught owners have condemned the "evil" acts.

Neighbours Karen Percival and Jasmine Giles are both in shock following the shootings. Their cats were seriously injured and police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

The scar on Houdini's skin where the pellet entered (Image: Karen Percival)

The two incidents happened just under a week apart on Monday, October 9, and Sunday, October 15.

One-year-old Teddy limped through the cat flap at Jasmine's family home in Sompting, near Lancing, on the Monday.

Jasmine said Teddy was shot by "an evil person". She said: "We didn't really know what was wrong with him but he was in a lot of pain and then we saw a pellet in his front leg.

"I rushed him to the vet while his breathing got faster and faster. The vets were surprised by what they had seen but got it all sorted so quickly."

The metal pellet recovered from Teddy's leg (Image: Jasmine Giles)

The pellet was taken out and Teddy was bandaged up and sent home to recover.

"I was really angry. I couldn't stop crying. Teddy means a lot to me. I've raised him since he was born," said retail worker Jasmine.

The 18-year-old thought it was a one-off until she received a knock on the door from neighbour Karen the following weekend.

Her beloved ginger cat Houdini had been shot by an air rifle and he was in a serious condition.

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Karen had just returned from a Sunday dinner with her friends and husband Selwyn. She told The Argus: "I got back home and took my shoes off and I stepped in something wet.

"We have two dogs so I thought it could have just been one of them which had an accident.

"It was only when I took my sock off that I discovered it wasn't normal wet and it turned out to be a big puddle of blood on our living room carpet.

"Because we knew about what happened to Teddy earlier in the week, panic set in.

The pellet lodged inside the leg of Jasmine's cat Teddy (Image: Jasmine Giles)

We went hunting for Houdini, hoping it was not that - you don't believe that it will happen again.

"We found him in his favourite sun spot just lying there with his right side covered in blood.”

She rushed him to Grove Lodge emergency vets, who took Houdini, a rescue cat, for emergency treatment.

"We were hoping he had just had a scrap or caught himself on a fence," said the 45-year-old, but X-rays revealed her worst nightmare.

The X-Ray image of the pellet inside Houdini (Image: Karen Percival)

An air rifle pellet was lodged between his heart and lungs.

"I was horrified, devastated, and heartbroken," said Karen. 

The shootings happened near the quiet close of The Lawns, in north Sompting.

Karen said: "Every house has a dog or a cat in it. We are completely surrounded by animal lovers, so I have no idea who could have done it.

"We are all going through a range of emotions and anger is at the forefront. People are scared to let their pets out.

"It is cats today but it could be dogs tomorrow and then people."

The Lawns (Image: Google)

Karen and Selwyn were told Houdini could have surgery to remove the pellet but it could be risky.

Karen said: "The surgery would have been very traumatic and there was a risk that if he was operated on his heart or lung could be nicked during the procedure.

"So we made the difficult decision to leave it in place and hope it stays where it is."

Houdini recovering in the cage alongside family dogs Buddy and Paco (Image: Karen Percival)

Houdini was sent home 24 hours later where he is on the mend.

"He's used up half of his nine lives over the last 48 hours," said Karen.

Police are investigating the two attacks which they believe to be linked.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "If you have any information, or relevant footage, please contact police online or call 101 quoting serial 972 of 15/10."