A cat shot by an air rifle looks to have survived a fight for his life.

Whisper needed his kidney removed after a pellet was found embedded in his pelvis.

His owner Margaret Silva, who has lived in Wavertree Road, Blacon, since 1966 has faced a difficult wait to see whether he will recover.

Whisper and his owner Margaret Silva at the vets after the cat was shot by an air rifle
Whisper and his owner Margaret Silva at the vets after the cat was shot by an air rifle

Mrs Silva said: “Fingers crossed, but I’m really hoping he pulls through because he has done nothing to deserve this.

“It’s an anxious time and I just want to make sure it doesn’t happen again by getting the word out there and making waves.”

Whisper, long-haired tabby and white, was a feral cat which Mrs Silva took in and domesticated.

He quickly became affectionate, but was still shy around other people and never strayed far from home.

So when 11-month-old Whisper did not return on June 26 his owner became very worried.

The air rifle pellet which was removed from Whisper's pelvis
The air rifle pellet which was removed from Whisper's pelvis

Mrs Silva said: “He was playing in the garden and when I call his name he usually comes running.

“This particular day he didn’t come back so straight away I knew something was wrong and he didn’t return at all that night.”

At five o’clock the following day Whisper did make it home, but was clearly in a poor state.

Mrs Silva rushed him to the vet and an X-ray showed the wound and internal damage the pellet had caused.

When Whisper got worse over the following days, he was given an emergency operation to remove a kidney and part of his small intestine.

The cat is still fighting an infection and his owner said the vet bills for Whisper are currently around £1,600.

Mrs Silva has put up this sign outside her home
Mrs Silva has put up this sign outside her home

Vet Peter Spence, who treated Whisper at The Storrar Practice, said: “Fortunately he seems to be turning the corner, his temperature is improving and appetite returning.

“For a while it didn’t look good and he’s still not out of the woods yet.

“It seems some people don’t appreciate the damage they can do to poor little animals like Whisper.”

His case is not the only one in the area either as another cat recently went missing in neighbouring Oakfield Road.

Mrs Silva wants to publicise and raise awareness of what happened to Whisper so it does not happen again.

Anyone with information should contact Cheshire Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.