25-Yr-Old Cat Shot Dead By Teenagers — ‘For Fun’ Crime Results In Death Of One Of The Oldest Surviving Felines

A cat that could have entered in the Guinness World Records for her age was killed by a small group of teenagers looking for some fun. The 25-year-old feline died because of wounds sustained from air rifles.

The 25-year-old cat, fondly named Mummy Cat, died of pellet shot wounds in Worcester, UK. The pellets were fired by a group of teenagers who admitted they were out shooting rabbits. The senior cat’s owner, pensioner Brian Parker, shared the cat was quite healthy and would have easily broken the record for the world’s oldest cat. But her life was brutally cut short by a bunch of “evil” teenagers on May 26. Speaking about his pet, the owner said the following.

“She was very friendly, she always wanted attention. She was so fit and healthy and she would have gone on for plenty of years, I’m sure of that. She was very active despite her age and loved to play. Mummy Cat was on course to be the oldest cat in the world and it is sad that her life was ended in that barbaric way.”

Despicable behaviour, I hope those responsible are held accountable. https://t.co/RTA9DEjTj2

— protect a pup (@protectapup) June 6, 2016

For 67-year-old Parker, the 25-year-old kitty was a very dear companion. The cat had been with him for 25 years, shared Parker, who added that the cat had kittens with her when she turned up at the family’s home as a stray, 25-years-ago.

The granddad said his son had accosted a group of teenagers earlier that day. The youngsters with power air rifles insisted they were out shooting rabbits with their guns, reported People. However, a few moments later, the family discovered their beloved cat enter the room with injuries, continued Parker.

“I don’t understand how people could shoot a cat that does not harm anyone. It is disgusting. It’s an awful thing to happen to a cat who would just stretch out in the conservatory or sit outside watching the world go by.”

Air rifles aren’t illegal in the country. Neither the authorities nor the sellers mandate the buyer have gun license. In extension, sellers need not request for a background check, as well, before handing over an air rifle. These weapons are available in a number of variants, but all work on compressed gas cartridges. When the trigger is pressed, small metal pellets are shot at high velocity by the sudden burst of pressurized air. While the law insists these weapons are non-lethal, there have been numerous reports of injuries. Fired at close range, these air rifles can cause severe damage, shared a very concerned Parker.

“The worst thing is you can’t really do anything about it. If you got hold of the thugs who did it and gave them a good hiding you would get arrested. In the last few weeks I have heard of a number of people with air guns in public. We are right by the canal and you get lots of families with young children around who don’t want to see people carrying guns.”

According to the family, the friendly cat might have approached her attackers to greet them, but instead of getting petted, the teenagers opened fire, shooting the poor cat in the abdomen and the eye, reported Malaysian Digest. The bereaved family rushed Mummy Cat to the vet, who confirmed she had lost vision in one of the eyes.

#Cat I despair, I'm furious & in tears, these are humans? One of the world’s oldest cats ‘shot dead by teenagers’ https://t.co/z2uR7ibtXK

— Chris S.Dixon (@ChrisCsd1) June 8, 2016

The vet added that the pellet fired from the air rifle had penetrated deep within the skull and was sitting dangerously close to the brain. Hence, the family took the hard decision of putting her down.

The local police have confirmed the incident and added they are investigating, but no arrests have been made so far, reported the Daily Mail. Even if arrested, the group of teenagers won’t face any jail time due to the law of the land. Incidentally, a recent report published by Cats Protection revealed about 44 per cent of vets have treated cats who have been victims of air weapons in the last year, reported Metro.

[Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images]