“I DON’T know how people can be so evil.”

Those were the words of an Andover woman who has spoken of her trauma after her cat was shot.

Eleven-month-old Allie was taken to the vets by owner Ruth Pearse on May 27 after he was discovered dripping in blood.

Ruth said: “He came back about six o’clock and I saw blood pouring down his leg and I bathed it. It was everywhere.”

She initially thought Allie might have been bitten so called Strathmore Vets, in London Road, for him to be examined.

“I phoned the vets and made arrangements to meet him at the surgery, he examined him and gave Allie an injection — he was in pain and limping.”

Ruth took him back to the vets the next day and the furry friend was thought to be improving, but in the days that followed Allie began limping again.

“He kept getting little infections, we were bathing it and so forth,” she added.

On Monday, Ruth took the pet to Strathmore when he was examined once again, and on this occasion a lump was found.

“The vet could feel something under the wound, but there was no telling.”

A pellet was discovered in his leg, with the shot believed to have come from “close range as there was flesh in the pellet,” and it had fractured the bone.

Allie had to undergo an operation and will now have to wear a cone to stop him from licking his wounds. He has also been banned from going outside.

“I am really upset, this is a little cat, I am quite heart broken as he has got to be in for three weeks, which is difficult for a lovely little boy.”

Allie usually only stays in the few streets around his house, so Ruth has a message for whoever shot Allie and caused his injury.

She said: “If they are messing about, it is one thing, but it [the pellet] had hair and flesh on it.

“He can be shushed away, these are just nasty, evil nasty, uncaring, horrible people. I just can’t believe people can be so evil.”