A FAMILY’S pet cat is fighting for its life after being mauled by two dogs in Woolston.

Natalie and Keith Hayes are currently waiting to hear if four-year-old Fluff will need to be put down after the attack on Saturday.

They were woken at around 2.30am at their home on Whitchurch Close by the sound of the black cat screaming in the garden as it was mauled by two Lurchers.

Natalie, aged 35, said: “I looked out of the window to see our family cat being ripped apart.

“A man was urging the dogs on, shouting ‘go on, go on’.

“I opened the window and screamed at them to get off but their owner just kept urging them on.

“They weren’t on leads and he grabbed them by the collar and ran off down the street.”

Husband Keith, aged 43, ran downstairs to confront the man.

He said: “When I looked out of the window he was baiting the dogs onto the cat, like he was enjoying it.

“Why were the dogs off a lead on a housing estate, or if they were on leads why let them off to get the cat?

“By the time I got down there I expected someone to be saying sorry but he ran off down the street.”

The couple say he was equipped with a lamp and backpack, and claim he was hunting rabbits with the dogs in Woolston Linear Park.

Police were called at 2.55am and searched the area although no one was arrested.

Fluff was then taken to Beech House Veterinary Centre on Wilderspool Causeway where he was treated for a broken jaw, dislocated leg and bite wounds.

He is due to have surgery on internal injuries, if it has a chance of being successful.

The Hayes family say they have already spent more than £1000 on vets bills.

Keith says he is now concerned for the safety of daughters Minnie, aged three, Eva, aged two, and India, aged 10 months.

He added: “It’s horrendous, heartbreaking - next time it could be a child those dogs get hold of.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting incident number 188 of December 15.