A DISTRAUGHT pet owner has warned about callous catnappers who she believes are responsible for incidents of extreme cruelty near her home.

Heidi Gilsenan, 22, from Cambridge Road, said that her two 12-month-old tortoise shell tabby cats Owen and Anfield went missing early in July.

A couple of weeks later, one struggled to find its way home.

"I heard a meow and he collapsed when he saw me," she said.

Heidi rushed to the vets, but its injuries were so severe that it had to be put to sleep

"His back was broken and the vet said that his nervous system was damaged. His injuries were too horrific for a traffic accident."

Heidi was so appalled with the treatment meted out to her cat that she has already issued a statement to the police.

The other missing cat was wearing a dark blue collar.

She suspects that for some reason, cats are being specifically targeted by sadistic yobs

"Where I live, there's a row of shops with a lot of advertisements in the window for missing cats.

"One lady had two cats that went missing, but when she managed to find one of them, there was a big hole in its side."