A SICK thug blasted a pet cat with an airgun and left him for dead.

Roddy had to limp home with a pellet lodged in his leg after he was targeted in woodland area behind his home.

His frantic owner took the four-year-old feline to the vet and an x-ray revealed the pellet lodged inside his thigh.

He may need to have it surgically removed, but vets fear the pellet is too close to his bone and an operation may cause more damage.

Shocked owner Fabiana Prior said: "I can't believe anyone would do this to an animal.

"I am absolutely appalled.

"To think someone could have been quite happy to kill him, it's appalling."

Roddy is understood to have been shot on Thursday evening.

He doesn't wander far from his home, so it's likely that he was shot in the Moodiesburn area.

Fabiana said: "The vet said we are lucky Roddy is not a friendly cat because often these people will call the cat over before shooting them in the head.

"I took Roddy home when he was dumped as a kitten.

"He had such an unlucky start to his life and now this has happened.

"When he is better, I will have to allow him back outside again, it's only fair.

"But I will worry about him every time he goes outside."

The 38-year-old reported the horrific incident to police and an investigation has now been launched.

Inspector Phil Rose, who is based at Cumbernauld Police Office, urged anyone with information on the airgun attack to come forward.

He said: "This was obviously a very distressing incident for the cat and his family.

"I would ask anyone who have have seen any persons with an airgun in the Moodiesburn area to get in touch."

Roddy is now back home with his family.

The latest figures show pets and wild animals were targeted in airgun attacks almost 200 times in just one year.

Chief Superintendent Michael Flynn, the Scottish SPCA, revealed the animal welfare charity dealt with 178 incidents in which cats, dogs and other animals were targeted with the weapons.