A small kitten is making a remarkable recovery after a cruel ordeal which saw her tail being skinned, leaving raw flesh exposed. The wound was very precise, which suggests it was inflicted on purpose by someone with a bladed tool.
The kitten was found in a bad state near Croagh Patrick. The person who found it, Caroline Hopkins, brought the animal to a veterinary clinic in Castlebar.
The kitten, which was named Patrick, underwent surgery to amputate its tail, as it had become badly infected.
It is understood that Patrick is now recovering well after the ordeal.