A fluffy stray cat has been found in Kirkop with a four-inch jagged plastic pipe around its neck that slashed its skin and hindered its ability to eat and drink, in a "sadistic" case of animal cruelty.

The cat was discovered writhing in agony on Thursday, close to the ST Microelectronics plant, and was rushed by the animal ambulance to a vet - it was in such a bad state it had to be put down.

"No surgery would have saved the cat. The vet had tears in his eyes seeing the poor creature with half its throat sawn off and glands exposed - we had to put it out of its misery," Fabio Ciappara, founder of Noah's Ark, that runs the 24-hour ambulance service, said.

The cat's coat was also covered in carpenter's glue, which Mr Ciappara believes was the perpetrator's only way to capture the stray, before forcing the roughly sawn off PVC pipe around its neck.

"Cats risk choking if they eat or drink with their neck held straight, so this cat must have been through hell. We have to try to catch whoever has committed this macabre act," he urged.

Mario Spiteri, director of the Animal Welfare Department that helped handle the rescue operation, appealed to anyone who may shed light on the "sub-human" who inflicted this "torment on an innocent cat" to come forward.

Dr Spiteri feared someone was persecuting stray cats in the plant's vicinity, because just one day after this incident, they rescued another feline with a wire knotted in a hangman's noose around its neck.

"This cat was lucky to escape the claws of some heartless person who is bent on inflicting pain on cats around the ST plant," he said.

The department's team had to sedate the terrified cat with a dart gun to capture it. It was taken to the SPCA for treatment and later adopted by animal lover Rita Giordano.

These two cases come just a day after a husky was found abandoned down a Zurrieq cliff face with a 30-foot rope tied around its neck. The friendly dog must have spent at least three days balanced on a tiny ledge two storeys down.

The husky is now recovering at Noah's Ark and Mr Ciappara said he had received some 70 calls from people wanting to adopt the beautiful dog.

However, the husky, which is being kept at the sanctuary for two weeks until it fully recovers, will probably be flown to Germany where the cooler climate is more suitable.

Mr Ciappara urged the authorities to punish anybody caught being cruel to animals and called on the government to introduce micro chipping as soon as possible.

This would help them track down the owners of abandoned animals and put the onus on them to think twice before neglecting their pet.

Since the government-funded animal ambulance service started on June 1, Noah's Ark received some 70 calls for help. The sanctuary works with Happy Paws, which provides it with free vet services and medicines. Those who require ambulance services to rescue animals were urged to call their locality's police depot.

Meanwhile, anybody with information on who might be committing the cruelty on cats in Kirkop may call the department on 2590 5302. Full confidentiality is assured.