Police investigating after 2 cats treated for gunshot wounds in West Deptford, New Jersey

Bast the cat is back home recovering and now learning to live with only three legs.

Margie Green said her pet underwent emergency surgery, and his front left leg had to be amputated after he was shot near her home on Ford Avenue in West Deptford, New Jersey.

"Just the idea that someone would choose to harm an animal is just unsettling," Green said.

Green said Bast often spends time in her fenced-in backyard, but the cat escaped Wednesday and came back home hours later limping with a small amount of blood on his leg.

Green originally thought Bast got into a fight with another animal. But when she took him for urgent vet care, the X-rays told a different story.

"When they did the X-rays, the bone was shattered and there were small pieces of metal embedded in the bone," Green said.

Ultimately, Bast's leg could not be saved.

Less than 48 hours later, Epic Vet Urgent Care in Cherry Hill said another cat from West Deptford, named Buttons, came in with a gunshot wound to one of its eyes. Buttons also underwent emergency surgery.

"For Buttons, the face was really nearly destroyed and Buttons ended up losing an eye," said Dr. Emily Volk of Epic Vet Urgent Care.

Volk said two gunshot cases back-to-back in the same community were concerning, so she contacted West Deptford Police.

Investigators said the second case happened near Crown Point Road and Church Street. Police did not say if the cases are connected, but they said the injuries to both cats were consistent with a small-caliber gun or pellet gun.

Green said she's no longer allowing her pets outside unsupervised. She hopes whoever is responsible is caught quickly.

"My biggest hope is that whoever it is would understand that this is not just a cat, this is not just an animal, this is a family member and it's important to be kind to them and not hurt them on purpose," Green said.

Volk said it will take a few weeks for both cats to heal and adjust, but they should make a full recovery.

West Deptford Police said they're taking this case extremely seriously, and they're asking anyone with information to give them a call at 856-853-4599 or email Det. Goggin at cgoggin@westdeptfordpd.com.