Pat Anthony is caring for Leo after he was shot

Leo, a four-year-old stray, was found by Porth animal charity worker Pat Anthony who rushed him to a vet.

The extent of the cat's injuries were only revealed after an X-ray was taken.

Mrs Anthony, a member of the Rhondda Valley Animal Welfare Group plans to take Leo to Bristol for specialist surgery to remove the pellets.

"Some of the pellets are embedded deep in Leo's brain and they won't be able to remove those but we hope they can remove some of them," said Mrs Anthony.

"I can't quite believe what has happened to him.

"Leo has been a regular visitor to us and at first I didn't notice anything was wrong because an airgun pellet doesn't leave a wound.

"But then I saw that his airways were all blocked and bleeding so I took him to the vet."

Staff at the vet's surgery were shocked when an x-ray of Leo revealed that he had six pellets lodged in his skull.

The X-ray revealed the extent of Leo's injuries

"I was flabbergasted. I couldn't believe that he had six pellets in such a small area," she said.

"We have cats in all the time with pellet gun wounds but nothing like this.

"It must have been malicious - someone must have held him down and done it.

"He probably fell unconscious after the first shot."

Mrs Anthony is planning to take Leo to a specialist unit in Bristol to get the pellets removed.

"Leo is a really docile, trusting creature and is well looked after," she said.

"He is a very robust cat and I think this is what has kept him alive after such an ordeal."