CAT owners from Milnthorpe were horrified when their pet returned home with parts of its fur shaved - an act which has the hallmarks of an old TikTok trend.

The part-Bengal cat named Bella returned home in the morning with both back legs and her underbelly shaved. There was also a chunk of fur missing from the top of her head.

The six-year-old cat is used to going out from her home on Wyndsore Avenue and has never had any problems.

She first came back with some smaller patches missing on Thursday (December 28) before returning with larger chunk missing.

The cat is owned by the 19-year-old daughter of Tammy Gregory.

"My daughter was hysterical," Tammy said, "and Bella is traumatised and won't let us near her. 

"She has only let me close enough to her yesterday evening to get this picture but you can only see part of the fur that has been removed in this photograph.

"On Thursday, she came home with small parts of fur missing from her legs but we thought it could possibly have been another cat.

"However when she came in yesterday morning, someone had shaved her underbelly, back legs and she has a chunk missing from the top of her head.

"There's no way one person has done this. Bella is very skittish and she comes to you when she wants, she's not that friendly where she would approach a stranger.

"It takes a lot of effort to give her flea and worm treatment so there is no way one person could shave her."

Tammy's daughter believes the shaving may have been done as part of a TikTok trend like one which had been occurring in the south of the country earlier in the year.

Between last Christmas and March 2023, more than 50 incidents were reported across Kent, with the upsetting act becoming almost a daily occurrence.

It was believed that the shaving of the cats may have been a way of earmarking them to later be killed.

Tammy said: "I don't know why someone would do this, but to say we are upset is an understatement. There are plenty of dogs and cats in the neighbourhood and we've never had any trouble before. 

"Please keep an eye out and if anybody knows anything, or seen anyone full of scratches please let me know she would never of let anyone just do this."

Tammy is now reporting the incident to the police.