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A Hamilton family could be facing a pricey vet bill after their cat was hit by what could be a pellet or bullet.

The family’s five-year-old cat Mittens came home last Monday night unable to use her right-front leg. Robert Ricker, her owner, said he initially thought she’d been hit by a car. Mittens was taken to East Mountain Animal Hospital on Stone Church Road where Ricker was told Mittens had a type of metal fragment, from either a pellet or bullet, in her neck.

The father and owner said he’s witnessed people playing with BB guns and other types of ammunition in the alleyway where he believes Mittens was injured. He said he is concerned about the safety of the community.

Ricker has been advised to see a neurologist to determine what exactly the fragment is before it’s removed. He’s also concerned about the rising cost of his vet bills and Mittens may have permanent damage to her nerves as a result of surgery.