20th February 2025
A young black cat is enjoying a new home despite having been shot with an air gun pellet which remained lodged painfully under her chin until it was discovered when she entered charity care.
Three-year-old Nora was taken in by Cats Protection Dorset Cat centre when her previous owner could no longer afford to keep her. She had an enlarged lip when she arrived and the team took her for a biopsy which confirmed it was an ulcer which resolved with a short course of medication. However, once the inflammation subsided another lump was noted on her chin and another biopsy revealed a lead air gun pellet which was safely removed.
Tanya Burnett, Deputy Centre Manager, explains: “We were shocked to find out that poor Nora had been shot with an air gun. The pellets are fired at speed and Nora will have been in significant pain both when she was shot and ever since. She was extremely lucky that it did not damage her jaw bone, hit an eye or even kill her.
“We cannot know how long it had been there but often air gun pellets will migrate around the body causing pain and damage as they do so. Thankfully Nora’s could be removed and she healed well however the outcome could have been very different.”
Since moving into her new home in Bournemouth with owners Margaret and Geoff Cummings, Nora has settled well but does show signs of the trauma of her ordeal.
Margaret explains: “Nora is such a brave, affectionate and beautiful cat although she has had such a horrific thing happen to her. She loves people but is still very anxious and nervous around loud and unexpected sounds or movements.
“Each day Nora’s with us she’s becoming more confident and loving. I’d like to thank Cats Protection for all the love and care they have given Nora. Due to their sensitivity Nora still likes being around people, and we are fortunate enough to benefit as we have gained a lovely cat.”
Cats Protection has long-campaigned for air guns to be licensed in England and Wales to bring both countries in line with licensing that already exists in Northern Ireland and Scotland where laws restricting air gun ownership have been in place since 2004 and 2017 respectively.
Cats Protection’s monitoring of press reports shows that in the past five years, there were over 400 cases in which cats in the UK were reported in the media as having been shot with an air gun. With no official data available, this figure is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Jade Emery-Temprano, Campaigns and Advocacy Officer says: “Anyone over 18 can currently buy and own an air gun without any checks or legal repercussions because these lethal weapons are unlicensed in England and Wales. We are calling for both countries to follow the example of Scotland and Northern Ireland, to ensure our pets are protected across the UK.
“Thankfully Nora survived but had the pellet hit her from a different angle she could have been maimed for life or even killed. Tragically many cats don’t make it home after being shot with an air weapon, meaning they often die alone and in pain without their owners ever knowing what happened.”
Sign the Cats Protection petition calling for air guns to be licensed in England and Wales: www.cats.org.uk/airgunspetition
To find out more about the cats currently being cared for at Cats Protection Dorset Cat Centre please visit www.cats.org.uk/ferndown
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Pictures of Nora and the pellet can be downloaded here.
For further information or an interview, please contact Cats Protection’s Media Office on 01825 741 911, at media.office@cats.org.uk, or @CPMediaTeam on Twitter.