Heavily pregnant cat found in agony after cruel thugs dropped it in a vat of hot tar... but its babies survive
- Pregnant cat Lilly was thrown in a vat of hot tar
- Animal groomers spent three hours removing the tar, solidified on her fur
- She has made a full recovery and it is hoped that she will still give birth to a healthy litter of kittens
The black and white feline, named Lilly, was just two weeks away from giving birth when she was thrown in the tar which burned her skin and solidified on her fur, severely restricting her movements.
It took groomers three hours to remove the tar with a special heavy duty cleaner after she was spotted by a concerned member of the public hobbling along a street in Nazeing, Essex.
Cruelly thrown in: Lilly, a moggy who is heavily pregnant, was dropped into a vat of hot tar before she was spotted hobbling along a street
Her entire belly and legs were caked in tar which had also collected dozens of leaves, twigs and debris.
The cat was taken to animal groomers Mister Groom in Harlow, were staff used Swarfega cleaner to remove the tar.
Amazingly Lilly has made a full recovery, been returned to her owners, who did not wish to be named.
It is hoped she will still have a healthy litter of kittens.
Linda Forsyth, who runs Mister Groom, said it was the ‘worst thing she had ever seen done to an animal’.
She said: ‘Whoever did this to the poor thing deserves to have it done to them. I can’t understand how anyone could be so cruel.
‘I could not believe the state of the poor thing when it was brought into us.
‘The tar had solidified on its body and it could barely move, it was just meowing in pain and distress.
‘We have been in business for 30 years and I have never seen anything like it.’
Heavy duty cleaner: Groomers spent three hours removing the tar which had solidified on her skin causing clumps of fur to drop off her body. Her paws appeared double in size because tar had collected on her legs
She said: ‘It was just so bad. I have never seen anything like it.
‘I suppose she looked a bit like walking fossil.
‘Her paws appeared as though they had doubled in size because they were covered in so much tar.
‘Lilly must have dunked in hot tar as it hard burnt large parts of her skin. She was in so much pain but was as good as gold when we cleaned her up.
‘She could have scratched but she just sat there - she must have been so relieved to get all that muck off.
‘Luckily she is back with her owner and will hopefully have a nice a health litter of kittens.’
In 2011 there was a 23.5 per cent rise in the number of people convicted for animal cruelty and neglect according to RSPCA figures.
There was also a 27 per cent rise in prison sentences imposed for animal cruelty by the courts.
The UK’s pet population was estimated to be eight million cats and eight million dogs in 2011.