Kim McDonald sits with her children Ellie (L to R) Katie and Joey as he holds Lucy the cat who has had a piece of fur shaved off her back making it afraid to leave the family home in Attleborough. Photograph Simon Parker

A family has been left upset and bewildered after discovering their beloved pet had been shaved in what appears to be a cruel prank.

Kim McDonald's cat Lucy has had a piece of fur shaved off it's back making it afraid to leave the house. Photograph Simon Parker

Kim MacDonald, her partner and three young children had celebrated her father’s birthday and arrived home to find their cat, Lucy, frantically trying to get into the house.

On closer inspection they realised the tabby and white one-year-old had a patch of fur around six-inches-long and more than an inch-wide shaved from her back with what looked like hair clippers.

According to the family, the pet, who was let out of the house on Tuesday morning and arrived back at about 9.30pm, is now too frightened to go outside.

Miss MacDonald, 30, from Halford Road, Attleborough, who has five cats in total, said: “We’re all devastated and shocked – it’s made me worry like crazy.

“My eldest asked why anybody would shave the cat and said it was stupid and my little girl said we should keep them all inside.

“We didn’t want to think somebody could be that sick, but when you look closely you can see the little groove marks made by a set of clippers.

“Thankfully, her hair will grow back but she’s also always had a collar and she lost it, so I think she would have struggled to get away, which is what upsets me the most.”

A Norfolk police spokesman confirmed officers had received a phone call about the incident on Wednesday morning.

They spoke to the family and people living nearby that evening as well as the Attleborough Safer Neighbourhood Team.

“We’re going to try to keep her in but she doesn’t want to go out anyway,” Miss MacDonald added. “The thing is that she’s so friendly.

“When the police came in she went straight up to the police officer which is how I think whoever did this got her. I don’t really want to let any of them out now, if I’m honest, but I know I’ve got to.

“The others are a bit more street-wise though.

“Lucy lived out in the countryside before we got her so she could roam freely, but the others don’t trust anybody.

“It makes me wonder what will happen next – you’ve got to be pretty sick to grab an innocent cat.”

Anybody with information about the incident should contact the Attleborough Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101.