A CAT died after it was shot with an air gun 15 minutes after being let out of her Fenland home.

Sugar, who was nine months old, was let out of her home in The Walnuts, March, at 5.30pm on February 17.

Just 15 minutes later, she came back in the house and was sick. When her owner, Sarah Rust, tried to lift her it was clear Sugar was in a tremendous amount of pain.

Ms Rust rushed Sugar straight to a vet. Sugar was X-Rayed the next morning and it revealed she had two lead air gun pellets in her body - one in her abdomen and the other in her back leg.

Sugar was not strong enough to survive and died at the surgery.

Mark Rust said: “The whole family is very upset by what has happened and we cannot believe someone would act so cruelly and shoot an innocent animal. It is very distressing and we are all devastated.”

The RSPCA is investigating the incident. RSPCA animal welfare officer Kathy Hornig said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have any information about the attack.

“This was a callous act of cruelty towards a defenceless cat. Anyone with information about this incident should call our emergency helpline on 0300 1234 999 and quote incident 797 of 18th February.”