THE owner of a cat kicked to death by burglar yobs tonight said: "I have nothing but contempt for them."

High Wycombe company director Henry Granata, 56, said it was "hard to understand the mentality" of the thugs who killed Greycat, six, during a daytime raid.

Mr Granata discovered the animal lying in his garden after thieves ransacked his Sawpit Hill, Hazlemere house.

He said: "Anyone who can deliberately hurt a defenceless animal isn't that many steps away from someone who hurts a child.

"It would have come out meowing, it always does that, and for that it got kicked."

Thieves stole Mr Granata's grey Isuzu Trooper, which was parked on the front drive, and damaged the house.

But he said the death of Greycat, from head and stomach injuries, was the "worst part".

He said: "You can accept the burglary, it is part of everyday life, but to hurt a dumb animal for no reason, it is hard to understand the mentality.

"I have nothing but contempt for them."

The cat was taken to a vets but died there, "slowly and in pain" said Mr Granata, who re-housed the cat after its previous owners were divorced two years ago.

He said: "He was a character. I am not a cat lover by any stretch of the imagination, I got it by default, but I enjoyed it by default. They are very endearing."

The burglary took place between 7am and 8.30pm last Monday.

Mr Granata, director of H.M. Air Cooling, Wycombe Industrial Mall, West End Street, High Wycombe, said of the discovery: "I came back and couldn't open the front door, I thought the lock was damaged.

"I went round the back and heard my cat meowing. That's when I realised I had been burgled."

Anyone with information can contact Glynn Hill at High Wycombe police station on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.