Shot Jinksey dies in owner's arms

SHOT . . . Jinksey, described by the family as a friendly and loving pet

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TRIBUTES have been paid in memory of a family cat who died after being shot with an air rifle.

Jinksey, an 11-year-old black and white moggy, died in her owner's arms, purring.

Yesterday the Chronicle reported how she has spent four days in intensive care after a metal pellet was fired through her kidney and intestine.

Owners Sarah (29) and Richard Bell (30) rushed home from a family holiday in the Lake District they had booked a year ago when the vets alerted them about Jinksey's worsening condition.

Mrs Bell, of Stamford Road, Lees, said: "The vets said her breathing had gone right down and she wasn't eating.

"We had organised for family to visit while we were away but we couldn't leave her.

"The vets had done what they could and we didn't want to put her through any more so we had to let her go.

"We all said goodbye and she died in my husband's arms purring."

Jinksey was put on oxygen after two tests revealed that she was deteriorating and had internal bleeding from her kidney.

The family, who returned home following a call to say that Jinksey had stopped breathing, arrived at the vets at around 10.30pm.

Their black and white cat, described as "their everything", was targeted by an air gun near her home last Monday.

She underwent X-rays on Tuesday followed by an operation to remove the pellet which had punctured and was then put on morphine.

Friend Ray Collins said: "Thinking about you ­- don't know what to say."

Anna Castle said: "This is so sad. I'm sharing and hope they find the scum."

Another friend Nicki Harrison said: "Some horrible scum bag has shot her with an air rifle and now she is no longer going to be with her family. I'm a cat lover and for it to be my friend's cat, I'm heartbroken. Somebody must have seen something."

A £500 reward has been offered to anyone with information which leads to finding the person responsible.

The family said they had received a large amount of messages on social network Facebook, including comforting comments from others who have had a similar experience.

Mrs Bell, who bought Jinksey as a kitten from Millstream Animal Shelter, said: "She was our everything, such a friendly, loving, active cat.

"She was a daft cat and would always be in charge, sitting on the bottom step and stopping our dog Radley from going upstairs.

"We used to let her sit at the bottom of our bed.

"She had a safe and happy life."