12th May 2025
Yesterday, a Moray charity was devastated to learn that a feral cat they had been caring for had been shot in the area.
Cats Protection Moray was contacted on 8 May after a feral cat appeared at a haulage yard, where workers regularly left food and provided shelter for him. They were shocked to see that the cat was limping after being shot in the leg.
Cats Protection had been supporting the haulage yard with trapping, neutering, and releasing a colony of cats, including three males and one female in March and three females and one male in April. This cat and his friend were treated as part of that effort and were particularly friendly with the workers who had been feeding them.
Cats Protection Moray Team Leader, Amanda Lindsay, said: “We are all just devastated by this cruelty.
“When we first saw him, we thought his limb was broken and tragically didn’t expect him to make it. But he is a bit of a wee furry miracle!
“This cat and his friend are cared-for ferals from a local haulage yard. Both had disappeared, but then he reappeared, limping, while his friend is still missing. In light of what the vet found, we suspect that his friend was also shot but was not as lucky.
“We are praying that his little buddy is not out there suffering.”
A worker at the yard notified the charity’s Trap, Neuter, and Release Volunteer, Kat Hibbert-Jordan, who immediately went to trap the cat and took him to the Cairngorm Vets. The injuries were found to be consistent with a gunshot wound.
Thankfully, the prognosis is excellent. The worker who notified the charity will care for the cat while he continues antibiotics and pain medication in his food, keeping the Cats Protection team updated on his recovery.
However, Cats Protection will be covering the costs of his care. The charity has limited resources and receives no government funding. People can find out ways to support Cats Protection Moray here: https://www.cats.org.uk/moray
Kat said: “This situation has been heartbreaking for everyone involved, and I feel deeply saddened by it.
“We will continue to monitor this area, with more trapping planned in the coming weeks and long-term efforts to ensure the feral colony does not grow while keeping the cats safe.”
Cats Protection is urging anyone with information about this incident to contact the Scottish SPCA on 03000 999 999.
~ Ends ~
For media enquiries please email media.office@cats.org.uk or call 01825 741 911.