A PET cat has been left badly traumatised after it was taken and bound up in metal wire, leaving it in severe pain for up to 10 hours.

The cat was taken from its home near Hertford Road in Stevenage, with the perpetrators attaching strong wire flex around the terrified animal’s tail.

It didn’t return home until 10 hours after it went missing, meaning it could have been left in pain for several hours.

The RSPCA Herts East branch has launched a campaign to catch those responsible.

“The flex was so springy that the poor cat thought it was constantly being attacked and it was terribly distressed,” said a branch spokesman. “When the cat returned, it was soaked through, and in terrible pain and terror.

“The poor creature has been badly traumatised.”

The owner of the cat, who has asked not to be identified, detached the wire as soon as the cat returned home and got in touch with the RSPCA.

The incident happened on Easter Monday, with the cat disappearing first thing in the morning. The RSPCA believes that more than one person was responsible for the attack.

“This is a very strong cat, and to be able to tie the flex wire around it would probably take two people,” added the spokesman.

“The cat is still very nervous, but it’s making good progress.”

If you can provide any information in relation to the incident, you can call the RSPCA branch in confidence on 01462 484862.