Luck, surgery save shot cat

A pedigree cat has undergone life-saving surgery after being shot through the stomach in Rotorua.

On Thursday night, Clayton Rd resident Sonya Anderson noticed her 1-year-old Bombay pedigree Cola Bairn wasn't himself and was bloodied but could not see the source of the bleeding.

About midnight, Mrs Anderson was woken by another cat trying to get in and, when she went to investigate, found Cola "splayed out and cold" on the kitchen floor. "I thought he was going to die," she said.

She immediately called Russell Cowie from Central City Vets who came straight out to examine Cola, telling Mrs Anderson a bullet had gone in one side of the cat and out the other. He told her Cola could be put down or opened up to assess the damage.

For cat-lover Mrs Anderson, there was no choice so Cola had three hours of emergency surgery that cost her more than $1400. After four nights at the vet's, Cola is now home with his relieved owner, sporting numerous stitches on his stomach.

"I am absolutely rapt - he is my baby and I love him," Mrs Anderson said. "Thank God that rogue cat woke me up - otherwise Cola would have been dead in the morning."

She said she was still worried about Cola's recovery and was frightened for him and her four other pedigree cats.

Mrs Anderson said she had suspicions as to who might have shot Cola. The incident made her question whether the disappearance of another cat three weeks ago was a coincidence.

Friend Jill Kent said the shooting made her angry and she hoped publicity might catch the offender or at least deter them from doing it again.

"It's a dreadful thing to happen," she said. "You just don't do that to defenceless animals."

Rotorua SPCA inspectorate manager Andy Grant confirmed a complaint had been received, which had been passed on to the Rotorua police because firearms were involved. He said the vet believed it most likely the cat had been shot with a high-powered air rifle.

Rotorua police Senior Sergeant Denton Grimes said the matter had been investigated, but there was insufficient evidence and no further avenues of inquiry. The case had now been filed, he said.

The shooting comes two weeks after Kea St, Selwyn Heights, residents told the Rotorua Daily Post they believed a neighbour had poisoned four cats found dead on the street. Mr Grant said that investigation was at a stalemate as the neighbour was unwilling to speak to inspectors. He said the file would remain open and, hopefully, the neighbour would realise it was in his best interests to clear the matter up.