PET owners have been warned to be vigilant after cats were shot, beaten and poisoned in Penketh, with a £1,000 reward offered for information on the attacks.

Two cats have died and another has been injured after being attacked in the Lane Ends area over the last few weeks.

The sickening attacks have seen family pets restrained and beaten, shot with air guns and poisoned with anti-freeze.

Resident Claire Neller-Clements’ 14-month-old cat Duster died after he was restrained, poisoned with anti-freeze and beaten over the head on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 12.

Her other cat Suzie, who came from the same litter as Duster, is awaiting surgery after being shot with an air gun.

Claire, who hand-reared the cats, said: “Duster sustained some facial injuries and has obviously been struck in some way with blunt force and it looks as though he has been restrained with the poison forced down his throat.

“Suzie came in with an injury about three weeks ago and we didn’t realise at the time that it was an air gun pellet.

“She had an injury to her head and at the time I thought it was an innocent thing but we took her to be looked at by a vet on Saturday.

“They said it was an air pellet which will need to be removed and she’s going in to surgery later this week – hopefully she should be fine.”

Sycamore Lane resident Jenny Fletcher’s cat Reggie also died after becoming ill on Thursday, October, 13.

Vets believe that the seven-year-old had also been poisoned with anti-freeze.

Now a £1,000 reward is being offered for anyone who can give information leading to a successful conviction over the incidents.

Claire, a volunteer with Warrington Animal Welfare, added: “In the past we have seen stories about attacks on cats and it’s very rare that the police find out who has done it.

“They’ve made my little boy suffer so much and we need to try and have someone punished because it keeps happening.

“I am inconsolable and I really need the people of Warrington to help me find my boy’s killer.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting incident numbers 1015 of October 14 and 460 and 467 of October 15 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.