Lucky escape for abandoned kitten Ron found shot in head with airgun pellet

The 11-week-old, named after Harry Potter character Ron Weasley, was found abandoned in a garden. A centimetre-size pellet had narrowly missed his eye and remains lodged in his neck.

He was taken to vets in Driffield, and two weeks on has made a remarkable recovery.

Clare Sutton, of Priory Vets, said: “If it had been a centimetre either way it could have been a lot worse.

“The pellet could have hit his eye or the soft tissue close to his brain.

“He’s very lucky that it didn’t cause any long-term damage.

“When he was brought in, he was in a bad way – very thin, because he hadn’t eaten in quite a few days.

“We examined his mouth and found a wound and found the hole next to his eye and worked out that he had been shot.

“We could feel there was a lump under his chin, which is probably the pellet and inflamation, but decided that he was too young to operate on and because it wasn’t causing him any trouble at the moment, we could wait until he was a bit older.

“We syringe-fed him and the next day he was a lot better, even quite playful. He’s a lovely little thing.”

Rita Bailey, cat re-homing coordinator at the RSPCA’s Bridlington, Driffield and 
District Branch, said: “It’s dreadful. I didn’t think he would survive it.

“I can’t understand how anyone can shoot a baby animal. I can’t get my head around it, but at least he is safe now and will be getting lots of tender loving care.”

Ron is now recuperating with foster carer Julie McManus in Bridlington and will be offered for adoption if his owners fail to come forward.