A CAT owner from Yate says she may be forced to move away after her pet was shot for the third time – and she believes someone in the area is targeting the animals.

Liz Jenkins’ three-year-old cat, Grace, was shot with a pellet gun for the third time earlier this month and was fortunate not to be killed by the attack.

The resident of Brockworth, Yate, told the Gazette that, after the latest attack, she spoke to her neighbours to see if they’d had similar problems with their own pets, and discovered that there may be someone targeting cats in the area.

Now Liz says she feels she may be forced to move away from the area in order to prevent Grace from being shot yet again by whoever has a vendetta against the pet cat.

Liz was in her house at at around 7pm on June 8 when Grace raced in looking upset.

“I knew that something was wrong immediately because she was very anxious,” Liz explained.

“I took her to the vet and they confirmed that Grace had been shot with a pellet from an air rifle.”

This was the third time Liz had taken Grace to the vets due to her being shot with a pellet gun.

“She is only three-years-old so it means that on average she has been shot every year of her life,” said Liz.

“The pellet this time was very close to her spine – the vet said how lucky she was that she wasn’t killed.”

Liz, a gas and electricity broker who also volunteers at the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, said the police and RSPCA have been investigating the shooting.

She has been trying to find out more information herself by knocking on her neighbours’ doors.

“I have knocked on around 100 doors,” she said. “It’s interesting because other people have had similar problems.

“There have been seven incidents similar to this within the area.

“I just don’t understand what sort of person wants to shoot a cat – the person doing it is barbaric.

“Grace is a beautiful cat but after talking with my neighbours and the police I think we could be close to finding out who has done it.”

If your pet has been shot or attacked another way, contact reporter Ross Arnott at ross.arnott@newsquest.co.uk