Police hunt for barbaric thugs who glued five-month-old kitten’s MOUTH shut in horrific attack

The poor cat was found in pain at a petrol station in County Durham

Vets say she is lucky to be alive after the brutal attack



Police are searching for 'despicable' thugs who glued a defenceless kitten’s mouth shut.



The five-month-old black cat, which has no name, was spotted by a night-shift worker at the Shell garage, in Peterlee, County Durham, after it had wandered on to the forecourt in the early hours of July 18.



The tiny animal, which was wearing a bright pink collar, had its mouth glued shut as well as glue on its paws, probably from where it had struggled to clear it from its face.



Police and RSPCA officers are now investigating the barbaric act.

Defenceless: This poor young kitten was found after its mouth had been glued shut in a vicious attack

The worker who found the stricken animal alerted Peterlee Police and the RSPCA.



She also contacted the Clifton Lodge veterinary practice, in Horden, County Durham, where the cat has since made itself at home.

Staff are appealing for its owner to come forward, though the worker who found it is willing to take it in as it is such an affectionate kitten.



Sergeant Iain Dickinson, of Peterlee Police, has branded those who left the kitten as 'despicable'.



He said: 'This was a despicable act on a defenceless animal and we are conducting a joint investigation to find the person responsible.'

Sad: The five-month old, pictured with Kayleigh Huggett at the Clifton Lodge vets in Horden, County Durham, is lucky to be alive

Vet Geoffrey Clifford-Brown, who was called out in the early hours to tend to the kitten, gently removed the glue to allow the five-month-old animal to be able to eat and breathe easier.



And he believes the cat is lucky to have survived its ordeal.



Mr Clifford-Brown said: 'The people who did this have got a very warped sense of humour and are incredibly cruel.



'I was able to pull the glue off, but fortunately I didn’t need to sedate the cat.

