AN ‘ALARMING’ rise in fatal air gun attacks on cats has led to calls for a change in legislation by vets across Hampshire.

New figures have revealed that half of cats injured by air guns die as a result and two thirds of the public believe perpetrators may go on to attack people.

Now industry insiders are calling for a change in legislation to restrict the sale and use of air weapons.

The extreme decision to campaign for the legislation comes after charity Cats Protection revealed that eight per cent of people in Hampshire support the introduction of air gun licencing.

The feline welfare charity carried out a survey on 1,000 vets which proved that more cats are killed in air gun attacks than 20 years ago.

The charity now plans to call for governments in England and Wales to make it a criminal offence to own an air gun without a licence or permit.

According to Cats Protection’s survey, almost half of vets questioned had treated cats which had been the victim of attacks by air-powered weapons in the last year, with nearly half of these shootings proving fatal.