'He's a fighter': Horror after two-year-old cat left injured by SHOTGUN on fields near Dovestone Reservoir

A horrified woman has spoken out about her ongoing ordeal after her two-year-old cat Jinx was left seriously injured by shotgun bearings. Megan Snape now faces the possibility of forking out thousands for further follow up treatments after her current pet insurance will no longer cover the rest

Little Jinx, who is two-years-old this month, had been venturing out in nearby fields at Megan's house, beside Dovestone Reservoir, on Thursday (July 21) when he returned home with a bad limp. The following morning, shocked vets told her that he had numerous ball bearings stuck in three of his legs after a shotgun had been fired.

Jinx immediately underwent surgery, which saw Megan drive to Sheffield, with the little cat now needing to remain in a crate with metal pins in his legs.

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Megan said: "I have got two cats and have lived up near Dovestone Reservoir for about a year. Jinx tends to go out in the garden and ventures into the fields, but he doesn't go very far. You always presume they are safe as there are so many people here with cats and dogs, and farmers with chickens.

"Last Thursday night I noticed it was late and he hadn't come home, which was unusual for him as he has a set pattern. I went to go and shout him and my other cat meowed and I saw Jinx on the window ledge, but he looked like he couldn't jump over the window like normal.

"He managed to jump up and fell into the house, and then was limping really badly up the stairs. I took him to the vets the next morning because I was really worried about him, and the vet came out and said 'I don't know how to tell you this, but he has been shot'.

"I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't take it in, you don't expect