A cat owner is appealing for information after her cat turned up with burn marks on it, two weeks after going missing.
Borris had been missing for two weeks in Turriff when he was found with his whiskers burnt off, and burn marks on his paws and chest.
Owner Chantelle Clark has contacted the police, but says officers are unable to help.
She said her relief about her beloved pet turning up was short-lived when she spotted his injuries.
She said: “I felt sick when I found out.
“On Wednesday night I was having a family meal with friends and the kids were in the garden.
“They came shouting that someone was at the gate asking for me, so I went out and it was my neighbour with the cat.
“She was visibly upset at how he looked and I couldn’t believe it when I saw all his whiskers had been burned off.
“He seemed quite nervous and jumpy until I lifted him, and he started purring and I could check the full extent of the patches.”
Mrs Clark says it is clear the cat has been burned deliberately.
She said: “If he had put his face in a BBQ or similar I would have thought the burn marks wouldn’t be so even, and he surely would have jumped away before the fire went through his fur.
“And if he had been caught in a fire the injuries would have been a lot worse on his sides and chest.”
Borris has essentially become an indoor cat due to the trauma, and is recovering with Mrs Clark and her family, as well their other cat Bojangles.
Huntly, Keith and Turriff Cats Protection has now appealed for help to track down the “cruel person” responsible.
In a statement, the charity said: “We are absolutely sickened by this.
“Please if anyone has any information, saw anything, knows who might have done this then get in touch with us.
“If you want to remain anonymous we will completely respect that but we need information and we need this cruel person caught before he or she does it again .
“Please share and to the folks with cats in that area, Chapel Street Turriff, please be extra vigilant.”
Mrs Clark added: “I really hope this was a one off, and that it’s not the start of something in Turriff.”