Animal welfare officials are trying to trace whoever shot a cat 40 times with an airgun. The animal was so badly injured one of its legs could not be saved. He is now being cared for at the SSPCA centre in Balerno.

The cat named Stanley by SSPCA staff has been through a terrifying ordeal. When he was found on a street in South Queensferry, they thought he had been run over - but X-rays revealed more 40 airgun pellets in his body.

Kenny Sharpe from the SSPCA said: "The cat has either been trapped or has been deliberately pinned down by the persons who shot it. We've had plenty of cats coming in with maybe a single pellet or maybe two pellets - they've been shot just by chance. However, this one is deliberate. The fact that somebody has stood there and shot the cat 40 times is an indication that it's obviously malicious."

Vets are confident he will get better - but he faces learning how to walk on three legs. As Stanley continues to recover, staff here say it's vital that anyone who knows about what happened to him comes forward.

Kenny Sharpe added: "The people who have done this have absolutely no regard at all for either the safety of animals or people as well. They obviously have no idea how much pain an air-rifle pellet can inflict. For something the size of a cat it can be extremely painful, and being hit by it over 40 times that's just somebody who's no conscience or has no idea of what they're doing."

The fear is the next animal to be shot might not survive. As well as tracing those responsible, the SSPCA need to find Stanley's owner - they say he's a friendly animal who was in good health and must belong to someone.