The owner of a cat that was beaten so badly it had to be put down has spoken of the anger and sadness rippling through her family. 

Allison Riches, 57, came home on Wednesday, September 13, to find her beloved cat Peanut unable to move from his cat kennel in the garden. 

The 20-month-old rehomed cat was unable to stand on his hind legs, and his tail was limp. 

"He didn't make a sound when we lifted him," said Ms Riches.

"It was a quick decision to take him to the vet."

East Anglian Daily Times: Graham Riches, Allison's husband, cuddling PeanutGraham Riches, Allison's husband, cuddling Peanut (Image: Allison Riches)

Sadly the vet couldn't offer the family the result they were after.

The vet examined the family's beloved pet and found that he had no feeling in his tail, that his back paws were cold, and that his back was damaged. There was a visible boot print in his fur. 

It was the vet's opinion that Peanut had been stamped on so badly that he had a thirty per cent chance of recovering from his injuries. He would need a catheter fitted for his damaged bowel and a large amount of pain medication. He would never be the same. 

The family had to make the decision to put him to sleep, and Ms Riches' grandchild cradled the cat's blanketed body the whole journey back to their Brampton home.

"Our grandchildren are very quiet," said Ms Riches. 

"Peanut used to wait for them to come home from school at the bottom of the garden path."

The family has been overwhelmed by the response after the police sent out an appeal for information yesterday, September 18.

"The anger is surfacing now," said Ms Riches. 

"I need this to be as big as it can be to prevent it happening to another family.

"The people doing things like this have got to be stopped. Your animal is a big part of your life. The bond we had with him, even only in his short life, was so strong.

"Why hurt him? He is defenceless. 

"They've hurt a whole family, not just a cat."

East Anglian Daily Times: Peanut had distinctive black spots on his nosePeanut had distinctive black spots on his nose (Image: Allison Riches)

Sadly, incidents such as this aren't unusual. 

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: "We are really sad to hear what has happened to this cat and our thoughts are with the owners.

“Heartbreakingly, 246 cat cruelty complaints were made in Suffolk last year.

"If someone is found guilty of a crime like this then they can face up to five years in prison under the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act. 

"We would urge anyone who has any information in relation to this incident to please contact the police who are investigating."

Ms Riches is organising a gathering at Brampton Village Hall for 2pm on Sunday, September 24, in order to raise her community's awareness of what happened to Peanut and hope that it drives some answers as to who committed the crime. 

Anybody with any information about what happened to peanut is asked to contact Suffolk police, quoting crime reference number 37/53889/23.