Pet Cat, Dudley, was seen at 7am on 17 February - but just a few hours later he was spotted on CCTV walking back to his Glantwrch home injured at 11am.

He was spotted by a neighbour limping home who alerted his owners - Ceris Williams and Tom Tyson - and they took him to the vets where it was discovered the pellet which had shattered his hip and was stuck in between the muscle of his back left leg. As a result he had to have his back left leg amputated.

RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI) Gemma Cooper said: “It’s understandably been very distressing for Dudley’s owners to learn that their cat has been shot.

“Thankfully he has survived and is recovering from his ordeal - but not without considerable pain and losing a leg.

“It is always very distressing to think that people may be taking pleasure in causing such horrific injuries to defenceless animals.

“We are appealing for anyone with first-hand information to get in touch with us. If you saw or heard anything unusual, between the hours of 7am and 11am in the Ystalyfera area please contact the RSPCA’s inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018 - and you can quote reference number 01452378.

“We think Dudley came from the direction of the school fields - but as we know cats can roam quite far, so we don’t know exactly where this attack could have taken place.”

Dudley’s owner, Ceris, said: “I just don’t get it - I have never heard of anything like this happening in our area before.”

She said at the vets they thought he could have suffered a sprain as he was limping but after three X-Rays they discovered he had been shot and subsequently had to have an amputation.

“He has adapted on three legs, but he is just really nervous,” said Ceris. “He is such an active, fit cat who loves to jump - so he has really lost his confidence.

“We hope showing what Dudley has been through stops this from happening again.”

She added that they wanted to extend their thanks to Afon Veterinary Centre.

“Their compassion and willingness to help in such a stressful moment means more than words can fully convey,” said Ceris.

“Dudley is not just a pet but a beloved member of my family , and knowing there are people like the team at Afon so selfless and caring restore my faith in the goodness of others.”

Every year the RSPCA receives almost 1,000 calls to investigate cases and help hundreds of animals that are the victims of air gun attacks.

Cats and wildlife are the animals most susceptible to being shot simply because they are out in the open with no one to protect them. Unfortunately, air rifle attacks are not as rare as the charity would like. The injuries caused by such attacks can be horrific and often fatal.

DCI Cooper added: said: “We want to see a world where every kind of animal is treated with compassion and respect and deliberate and brutal acts of cruelty should be consigned to the past.

"We continue to call for tighter controls on air weapons. This, along with better education and explanation of the law when buying an air gun, and requirements that everyone must receive basic safety training before being allowed to walk out of the shop could help relieve the problem.”

Animals’ futures are in our hands. The decisions we take now will influence the lives animals enjoy in the future. Animal Futures: The Big Conversation is now live - and we want as many people as possible to have their say on the future of animal welfare in this country.