1 March 2013 VETS had to sedate a terrified moggie after thugs squirted washing up liquid into its eyes, nose and mouth and hacked off its whiskers.
Owner Adele Maden, 42, said she was horrified to discover what thugs had done to her beloved Bobby.
The three-year-old black and white cat was struggling to see and breathe when he returned home at around 9am after being let out for the night.
Vet sedated him because he was so distressed before they could begin trying to wash the detergent away.
Mother-of-two Adele said: “I can’t believe someone would target such a defenceless animal in such a sadistic way.
“Bobby is the friendliest and most gentle cat around. He is the sort of cat that visits several families for food.
“When I first saw him I thought he had had glue squirted into his eyes as they were really sticky.
“It’s only when I tried to bathe them and noticed there was a green tinge that I thought it was washing up liquid.
“He had bubbles coming out of his nose and in his mouth. I was horrified someone could be so horrible”
Adele was told by the vet there was no way the cat could have picked up these injuries by itself and that it must have been a deliberate act.
Adele, 42, of Cravens Heath, Oakdale, Blackburn, Lancashire, said: “Whoever has carried out this attack on Bobby is inhumane.
“I honestly think that when they are caught they need psychiatric help to find out why they would do this.
“Bobby is cheeky and playful and often very trusting so it would have been easy to get his attention.
“Like the whole family, Bobby is completely traumatised. He is a confident cat that loves going out but he seems really timid at the minute.
“I just hope anyone who knows what happened to him reports it to the police to prevent it happening to another defenceless animal.”
The police have now launched an investigation to try and find out who is behind the attack.
Fernhurst community beat manager, PC Mark Perry, said: “We have launched an investigation to try and find out who is behind this cruel act.
“Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is urged to call police.”
The family pet now has permanent damage to his corneas after Tuesday’s attack.
The cat’s whiskers were also cut short affecting the way he feels his way around, and his judgement on whether or not he'll fit through an opening.
He is struggling to open his eyes and is still suffering the effects of ingesting the detergent.
Leanne Plumtree, northwest spokeswoman for the RSPCA, said: "It sounds like a shocking incident and we'd urge anyone with any information about the person responsible for it to contact the police, who are investigating."