A cat has been left with an air rifle pellet lodged in its spine after it was shot by a cruel yob.
Hennessy is thought to have been shot while she was in the Harrogate Road Allotments, in Reddish, Stockport, at the weekend.
Vets are now battling to keep the three-year-old alive after she lost all movement in her back legs.
Hennessy's owner, who asked not to be name, first noticed her pet was missing on Saturday.
She said it was odd for Hennessy to not be at home, as she rarely goes outdoors and prefers to stay inside.
After searching the area, and knocking on neighbours' houses, she started calling local vets.
A cat matching Hennessy's description had been taken in at a nearby surgery and it was later identified as the missing feline.
It was initially thought the tortoiseshell and white short-haired cat had been hit by a car.
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But after undergoing a CT scan on Monday, vets discovered an air rifle pellet was lodged in the animal's spine.
She has been transferred to a specialist neurologist in Liverpool to see if anything can be done to save Hennessy and improve her quality of life.
The shooting has been reported to Greater Manchester Police and the RSPCA.
Hennessy's owner told the M.E.N: "I noticed she was not at home. She went missing on Saturday evening.
"I noticed she was not at home. She went missing on Saturday evening.
"I knocked on all the neighbours doors trying to find her.
"I called the local vets and there was a cat matching her description.
"I went down there and it was her. At that point we thought she had been hit by a car. She was not moving her back legs.
"She had a CT scan and found a pellet lodged in her spine."
Hennessy underwent life-saving surgery last year after she was found to have suffered severe internal injuries.
Vets found there had been acute blunt force trauma to her abdomen.
She was pregnant at the time and lost her kittens.
The cat was rescued by the Chorlton Cats Charity and rehomed.
Her owner added: "It was shocking. Especially what happened last year, you think lightning won't strike the same place twice.
"I would never expect this to happen to her. It has happened right near my house.
"I have got no idea who may have done it. There could have been kids playing around there.
"She is a little sweetheart, one of the most affectionate cats I have had."
A charity fundraising page has been launched to help Hennessy's owner cover the veterinary bills.
To make a donation visit gofundme.com
