A cat has been found with her ears badly sliced in Londonderry.

She was found in the Ballynamore Road in The Cross Derry area along with her two surviving kittens.

The Rainbow Rehoming Centre said the cat's ears were like this when found.

The vet cleaned up the scabs on arrival.

Rainbow have named her Leah and are continuing her treatment.

They were alerted to the incident after receiving a phone call from a concerned member of the public about a stray cat that had been hanging around.

They are appealing for anyone in the area with information to get in touch.

Animal rights campaign group Northern Ireland says NO to Animal Cruelty, which has held rallies in Belfast, said they can't "comprehend" the incident.

Posting on their Facebook they said: "We simply cannot comprehend what pleasure some people can derive from inflicting such pain and torture on to a defenceless animal.

The sheer terror this wee one must have been feeling, as she was being mutilated must have been immense.

"Cats tend to withdraw into themselves when they can't get away to try and zone out from the reality they are in and you can almost still see the traumatised shock in her face."

Belfast Telegraph