Jasper was left blind in one eye and riddled with pellets and he was almost put down by vets, who thought he wouldn't survive an operation.

The cat – described as a 'walking miracle' by animal experts – pulled through, to the delight of his owners Rose and Steve Doherty.

Now they fear if the culprits are not caught, they could strike again.
Rose, 49, said: "We are both shocked at the amount of damage a human being can do to a defenceless animal.

"Jasper is one lucky cat, he could have been put to sleep, but what's next? That's what concerns us the most. We're disgusted."

After the attack Jasper managed to crawl into a factory near the Dohertys'home in Astley.

He was rushed to the vet, who traced Rose and Steve through a microchip in Jasper's collar.

Rose said: "At first they thought he had been hit by a car because he had so much internal damage, or that an animal had got him because of the puncture marks.

"One pellet went through his paw ... right the way through and out the other side, and there were seven still in him."

Rose said at one point Jasper was nearly put to sleep, but was saved when vets couldn't get hold of her and then found he was responding well to the anaesthetic.

He is now recovering slowly at home but faces more surgery to remove the damaged eye.

Wigan and Bolton RSPCA inspector Caroline Hall said: "Jasper is a walking miracle.

"His chances weren't even 50-50 – they were so slim."

* Anyone with information on this attack or who sees any animal being treated cruelly can call the RSPCA's 24-hour hotline on 0300 1234 999.