A cat had a lucky escape after being shot with an arrow that missed its vital organs and spine by just millimetres.
Vets removed the arrow but Shearer has been left scarred and too frightened to go outside.
The RSPCA has now launched an investigation into the ‘callous’ crossbow attack.
Shearer’s owners, who named him after the footballer, said they worryingly found other arrows around Gunton Avenue in Coventry, where children often play.
Shearer returned home last Monday, June 8, and his owners noticed a crossbow bolt sticking out of him.
They rushed him to the vets for emergency treatment. ‘It was absolutely shocking and I was so upset,’ his owner who wanted to stay anonymous said.
‘I scooped him up and rushed him to the vets. They said he was extremely lucky to survive the attack because the arrow had missed vital organs and his spine.
‘I just can’t believe it, why anyone would do something so awful to a lovely animal?’
The owner added: ‘It seems someone is going round firing a crossbow and who knows what pain and suffering that could cause to either animals or people.’
Vet Lisa Apted said treated Shearer had a small circular wound at the back of his leg, and she could feel the point of a crossbow bolt poking out above his kneecap.
‘An x-ray showed there was a crossbow bolt in his body, and we operated immediately to remove it,’ she said.
‘He was in shock and in a lot of pain, but the bolt luckily managed to miss a lot of vital structures. Had the bolt been on the inside of his leg, he could have suffered nerve damage.’
RSPCA Inspector Claire Davey is appealing for anyone with information to come forward and wants to reassure the public they can remain anonymous.
She said: ‘Unfortunately, attacks like this are not as rare as we would like.
‘Cats and wildlife are more susceptible to these incidents simply because they are out in the open with no one to protect them.
‘We’d also like to remind people that anyone caught deliberately harming an animal can be up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine if found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act.’
Anyone with information about the incident should call the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 123 8018.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.