A FAMILY has been left heartbroken after their pet cat was killed in what they suspect was a catapult attack. 

Stacey Slade and her husband Jack, both 35, live in Hazel Close in Bemerton Heath, with their two children. 

Their son is nine and their daughter is four, and Stacey said they are "absolutely devastated". 

Boots didn't come home on Tuesday night, but Stacey said that wasn't unusual for him, but she left food down for him on Wednesday morning before going to work, and when she came back, it hadn't been eaten. 

Jack, who helps with the reserve teams at Bemerton Heath Harlequins, asked if anyone at the club had seen Boots on Wednesday night. 

Boots is "like a mascot for the Harlequins", said Stacey.

"He liked to go down to the ground to watch the matches, and there was a game on Tuesday night.  

"Within half an hour of Jack messaging people, he had been found and there were pellets found next to the body". 

Georgia Clark-Pereira, 26, is Stacey's sister and also lives in Hazel Close. 

She told the Journal: "I have three cats myself, and you should not live in fear that if you let your cats outside they are going to be killed". 

Georgia says Boots' death is the latest in a chain of events in the last six months or so that has seen bus stops smashed, bus windows and house windows broken, and street lamps damaged. 

Salisbury Reds had to change the bus route of the R1 bus that serves the Bemerton Heath area last summer after two buses were damaged by projectiles fired from what it believed were catapults. 

She said: "Many residents of this area seem to have expressed concern and made reports to 101 like myself however nothing seems to have been done to resolve or investigate this.

"I want to raise some awareness and try get people to come forward with any witness statements, or any trails at all onto who this group of people/person may be causing havoc and literally ruining peoples wellbeing."

Georgia said the issue is discussed frequently on a Facebook group set up by residents in the area, and that an 85-year-woman said she was scared to say anything in case her windows were damaged by someone with a catapult. 

"People are frightened to report it, but if we say something and one person comes forward with information, it would be worth it". 

Wiltshire Police said: "We are appealing for witnesses and information after a cat was killed by an object, thought to be a catapult, in Salisbury.

"The cat was sadly found deceased on Wednesday evening (08/05) near Bemerton Heath Harlequins site in Western Way with a wound to its side.

"The incident is thought to have occurred sometime between 7pm on May 7 and 4pm on May 8 near to the location where the cat was found. Our enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

"If you witnessed anything or have any information or any CCTV or dash cam footage which could assist with the investigation then please get in touch on 101 quoting reference 54240052848."