A BECKENHAM family has been left devastated after their cat was killed by vicious thugs.

Vets believe seven-year-old Charlie was swung around by his tail and kicked so badly that vets were forced to put him down a few days later.

The attack left him with bruising to his inner thighs as well as kidney and nerve damage while his tail became detached from his spine.

Owners, Christine and Paul Glover, of Groveland Road, are still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

Christine, 50 said: "He went missing for a few days and then I found him asleep on the bed.

"The sheets were soaking with blood and he seemed fine first of all.

"It was only when I went to pick him up and he screamed I saw he was still bleeding."

The couple rushed him to Eden Park Veterinary Surgery and was told he had been attacked.

Mrs Glover said: "I couldn’t believe it. The thought of someone doing something like that makes me feel physically sick."

Charlie's tail was amputated and a few days later his injuries were judged to be so severe that he was put to sleep.

The vet who treated Charlie, Dr De Souza said it was rare to see such serious injuries inflicted in this way.

He said: "I only see this kind of thing once every two or three years.

"It's difficult to prosecute people for this kind of thing because there's no proof.

"It's only if someone saw something."

Call the RSPCA Cruelty and Information line, in confidence, on 0300 1234999.