WILTON – Police are investigating who shot the mother of five kittens this week.

After suffered a gunshot wound Wednesday, undergoing surgery Thursday and running away on Friday afternoon, the 2-year-old, tuxedo-patterned, black-and-white feline returned to her owners on Weld Road on Friday night.

Ralph and Sheila Giffin of 83 Weld Road told police their pet, named Bob for her bobtail, was let out around 8 a.m. Wednesday. She returned later in the afternoon and went to a neighbor, who tried to catch her, Ralph said Friday. The cat reappeared on the Giffins’ porch about 6 p.m. Wednesday but seemed to have a left-side injury and trouble breathing, they told police.

The owners took the cat to the veterinarian Thursday to find that she had, in fact, been shot. Only fragments were able to be removed from the cat, he said, but police told him they believed it was from a .22-caliber gun, otherwise, the cat would probably have been killed, he said. The bullet apparently went into the chest and came out the left shoulder, leaving a slight limp while she heals.

“We have no idea what could have happened to her and didn’t know until the vet operated,” he said.

Police Chief Dennis Brown said officers are investigating the shooting.

“I can’t imagine why anyone would shoot her,” Sheila said.

On Friday afternoon, Ralph said he came home with some packages in his hands and Bob scooted out the door with an open wound, partially shaved body and a “lampshade-style collar” to keep her from touching the wound.

“I think she ran away because she’s frightened,” Sheila said. “Being shot, being tread and medicine forced down her throat” was just too much for her.

But about 8:30 p.m., Bob had returned to her owners and her litter.

“She just came home,” she reported. “She went right to the food.”