BUCKS Free Press readers have described the thugs who kicked a cat to death in a house burglary as "lowlife scum" and "despicable".

Comments left on this website have shown the shock and anger at the attack, which took place when a High Wycombe house was broken into during the day.

Owner Henry Granata, 56, found his pet, Greycat, in the garden of his Sawpit Hill home. It died later at a vet.

Reader "Happy blue" said: "Absolutely mindless and disgusting. If they catch the yobs let them have a dose of what they did to that poor animal."

"Ivor" said: "Reading this news item has made me sit up and think about the sort of low-life walking the streets of our town.

"How could anyone do such a wicked thing to a poor defenceless animal?"

"Oddone" said they could not understand why the raiders had struck out - Mr Granata said its likely the cat would have been friendly to the burglars.

They wrote: "As a cat owner I am shocked.

"Cats aren't like dogs. If they attack they are mostly harmless and may leave a few scratches.

"But to kick it to death is another thing. If you boot a cat it runs off, why is there the need to keep kicking it?"

"Here-we-go-again" wrote: "That's just plain sick. Lowlife scum."

The burglary took place last Monday between 7am and 8.30pm, but details were only revealed this week as part of a police witness appeal.

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

The company director 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."

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."

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