When her cat started making an odd screeching noise, Angie Davies thought he had a bad cough.

But when she took Freddie to the vets, they found he had been shot with an airgun and a metal pellet had lodged in his chest.

Vet Andrea Susanna believes the two and a half year old pet is lucky to be alive and thinks the pellet may have been there for some time as he could not find an entry wound.

Andrea, of the Stanhope Veterinary Centre, Strood, said: "Things like this should not happen, there are laws out there to protect animals and the law should be applied."

Andrea said Freddie was doing well after his operation to remove the pellet and should make a full recovery.

Angie, 53, of Bligh Way, Strood, fears there may be someone in the area taking potshots at cats as, just a few months ago, a neighbour's cat died suddenly.

She said: "I didn't think about it at the time, but now this has happened, perhaps there is someone out there with an airgun.

"The neighbour's cat had managed to get back inside and through the cat flap, but then just died.

"I'd like to get my hands on the person who shot Freddie and get them to pay the vet's bill."