WARNING: Picture gallery contains graphic images of Bennie's operation and injuries

BENNIE the cat has used up one of his nine lives after he returned home with a multiple injuries, including a shredded tail that had to be amputated and skin torn off the side of his body.

Bennie’s owner, Katie Bridgewater, woke up in the morning to find her usually vocal cat sitting very still and quietly in the house. Concerned by his sudden change in behaviour, Katie checked on Bennie straight away which was when she noticed his grim abdomen injury, which strangely had left hardly any blood in the house.

Rushing the 18-month-old straight to White Cross Vets on West Dyke Road Retail Park in Redcar, Bennie was found to also have shattered and shredded his tail, resulting in a emergency operation which involved involved stitching him up down the full length of his abdomen, and his tail had to be amputated.

Despite his horrific and multiple operations, brave Bennie had almost fully recovered within just one week.

“Bennie spends a lot more time in the house than he does outside and he’s a very loving and sweet cat. We had spent all evening with him at home and then went to bed, which is when he must have decided to go out.

"It’s a real mystery what happened to Bennie and we’ll probably never know, but we’re extremely relieved to see him make such a miraculous recovery and enjoying life again, albeit without his tail!”

Vet Louisa Graham, who treated Bernie at White Cross Vets, said: “Bennie was in total shock when he arrived with us due to the extent of his injuries, which probably explains why he appeared so calm and quiet. It’s possible that he’d become trapped somewhere and had to drag himself out, or squeeze through a very tight space, which must have been very painful.

“Despite the wounds, he had no internal injuries, which was surprising, but obviously very good news. He’s a big cat, weighing over 5kg, so he had some excess skin which made it easier to nip it back together and stitch it up. If he’d been any smaller, he would have required a skin graft, but thankfully he’s been able to make a prompt recovery which we’re delighted with.”

Bennie and his sister Frankie were originally born to a stray cat and were found as kittens living in a drainpipe on wasteland in Dorset, where Katie is originally from. She saw a video of their plight that a friend posted on Facebook and she offered to rehome them. They moved to Redcar 16 months ago and now live with Katie, her partner Duncan and their two other cats Ted and Bruce.