Stoke Newington pet owners are being warned after a second kitten was shot with an air riffle this week.

Debora Robertson and husband S�an Donnellan were shocked to find their eight-month-old Burmese cat Prune fighting for her life just six weeks after her sister was targeted.

The brown-furred feline suffered a pellet wound to her abdomen on Monday morning (May 9).

“I came back yesterday from walking the dog and found her upstairs very floppy and not herself,” said food writer and editor Debora, 45.

“In between phoning the vet and putting her in the carrier, I noticed a small wound. Our other cat had been shot six weeks ago through the tail and we recognised it was a pellet from an air gun.

“There’s some really evil person shooting at people’s pets.

“You wonder what else they are doing. I’m sure they are targeting other people’s animals too.”

Debora has begun distributing leaflets to neighbours near the couple’s home in Rectory Road about the threat.

“We really want to warn people that this is happening,” she said.

“Also, perhaps the person doing this doesn’t realise it is a criminal offence.”

A spokeswoman for Hackney Police confirmed the matter had been reported to officers for investigation.

Faye Forsythe, head surgeon at Canonbury Vetinery Practice in Essex Road, said Prune had lost a fifth of her blood and her kidney and colon had been punctured.

“She’s still not totally out of the woods yet and we are not sure whether there will be long term damage but she’s doing well so far,” she said.

The RSPCA’s chief veterinary officer Steve Cheetham said: “It is very distressing to think that people take pleasure in causing such horrific injuries to defenceless animals. These are deliberate acts of cruelty and I would appeal to people’s consciences not to commit such an atrocious offence.”

If you think an animal is being mistreated, call the RSPCA’s cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.