Round here, farmers use air guns for vermin control (they can be used inside a barn, for instance, without causing damage to the building). Air rifles are, to a large extent, sporting guns used for target shooting, but, of course, there's always a stupid b------ who thinks he'll try his skills on a moving target such as an inoffensive domestic animal (presumably because they are easier to hit than wild animals). These are the people who ruin things for the careful users. I don't think even a totally certifiable farmer would use an air gun if he wanted to shoot a dog - not many air rifles are powerful enough to kill a dog or cat (although they will do a lot of damage). It is far more likely that, in this case, the injury was caused by a youth who thinks his airgun is a toy.

Air guns are NOT toys, they are WEAPONS, and should be treated as such. They aren't very powerful weapons, but they are NOT toys and shouldn't be owned by children. Personally, I wouldn't allow a child to touch one, and MOST CERTAINLY without proper adult supervision.

They should never be left loaded
Ammunition should be kept elsewhere, preferably locked up.
They should be carried pointed at the ground, even when unloaded.
No matter what the target, the entire area should be scanned for things that could be hit accidentally.
They should never be used when pets or small kids are about.
And, as with all guns, NEVER point them at people unless you intend to shoot them - and I doubt that anyone here has a reason for that.

I use mine only to maintain hand/eye co-ordination: I was trained to kill PEOPLE with a .303, and I was very accurate (though never had a human target!!!): I try to keep up that accuracy, not that I'm ever likely to need it!
I've never had a high degree of physical skill, and it's even lower nowadays - keeping one alive is almost a personal crusade

Snorri


PS: as to getting a pill into a cat, ther was once an e-mail doing the rounds about the procedure - it involved calling A&E for the cat-owner and ended with "to get a pill into a dog, wrap it in a bit of bacon". It was very funny, but I can't remember all of it. You could try using a peashooter to put it down the cat's throat???????????????

Aww poor thing. Hope she's better soon. Did anyone see the cat on GMTV this morning. The vet said she had been shot at several times and at close range. It was just awful, she lost both her eyes and still has pellets inbedded in her which thay couldn't remove, in her jaw and top of her leg. Her tail was also badly damaged. If all that wasn't bad enough the owner has found pellets left on her door step. I really cannot find words to describe these evil people.

Bloody idiots, we lost one of our moggys years ago to infection from a pellet gun shot. Whoever use em irresponisblly are bloody idiots!!!!!!!!
Poor old girl, i would say pop the tablet in a bit of cheese, fish, hotdog anything really that she likes and then get her to eat it thatta way. One of our 2 is a funny mare and had to have pills not too long back and the hidden pill trick worked with her.
Hope she gets better real quick
Best wishes

Aww, poor thing, these people that do that are total cowards..big man/woman that can shoot at a defenceless animal! Why dont you get a pill popper..they work really well for cats.

Thanks everyone! Think you might be right Snorri, probably just kids messing by the sound of it. Think our local nasty farmer would've put enough pellets in her to make her really suffer. Sounds like I'm lucky she's still alive and kicking if these rifles are used like they were on that poor cat on GMTV.

Some great suggestions about giving tablets too. I have a feeling I will have tried every single one of them by the time Friday the 13th comes round! She's a cunning little g*t!

What's a pill popper by the? Sounds interesting!

Aww poor kitty

I hope she'll be okay

Sorry to hear about your cat being shot - its a terrible thing. But on the bright side my Cleo who is 23 now was shot when she was 3 an air rifle the pellet lodged in her shoulder, but the pellet came out of its own accord about 7 years later.

Oh just to let you know the lad who shot her was 18 and after I was persuaded by the police officers to put him down (I had pinned him to the wall) all 5ft 2 of me I told him "shoot my cat or any animal and no police force in the country or army in the World will stop me from making you regret it"

As you do.

Poor little mite!!! Hope she recovers soon bless her.
My OH parents live in Spain. A few yrs ago went over for a holiday. Anyway i was laying by the pool, when i heard a gun go off then felt a sharp burning pain in my leg. I'd got shot. They shoot anything in Spain. My OH mum had to drag my OH away as he was just about to kill the person who shot me
I really feel for her & i hope she feels better soon :smt058 & a big ((((o))))

Thanks J, she doesn't seem bothered at all! Same old fat greedy self!

lol Kazz I'm a bit like that, actions first think later!

God Jules that sounds awful, something to tell the grandkids though eh? If it hurt you I can't imagine what small animals must feel like!

Anyway I did manage to get her first tablet into her. Got a couple of bits of Whiskas and jammed them in. Put them in front of her, would she eat them nooooooo! So I thought s*d it I'll stick them in her dish and sort it out when I get back from walking the mutts! Lo and behold when I got back the food had gone! So either my Dad really likes Whiskas and he isn't telling me or I've finally managed to give the cat a tablet without jamming it down her throat and getting scratched to high heaven for my trouble! REEEsult!

Hurts like b*ggery, dunnit!

This is why I don't shoot at live targets, not even "vermin".

Snorri