AN ANIMAL lover says he fears a child will be harmed by louts who have shot eight cats in a year.

Michael Mander, 46, has pledged to do all he can to track down the person who used an air rifle to shoot his moggie Magic.

The one-year-old cat managed to crawl home in agony after a pellet lodged in its bowel following the New Year's Day attack.

Mr Mander, who found the animal covered in blood, thought it had been savaged by foxes.

But the father-of-four, of Whitebeam Avenue, Bromley, was left fuming when an X-ray at Bromley Common Veterinary Surgery revealed a pellet.

He said: "I often hear these guns going off. They are very dangerous. It's all very well shooting them in a garden but you don't know where stray bullets will end up.

"I really believe it won't be long until a child is shot."

Vet Derek Moran had to perform an emergency operation on Magic, which had its bowel perforated four times.

Having used up one of its nine lives, it is now at home after spending six days at the vets.

Mr Mander added: "I'm not going to stand for this. I'm going to let the police know of any gunshots in the area and I've spoken to members of the community asking them to do the same.

"It looks like Magic is going to be OK but if another cat is shot it might not be able to make it home in time."

Bromley police say they have received eight reports of animals being shot by air rifles in the past year.

An RSPCA spokesman said: "Domestic cats seem to be a target for airgun users as they roam further away from their homes.

"We believe the Government should be doing more to safeguard the public and animals by requiring people who want to own an airgun to prove they have a specific need for it, such as for sport or pest control."