A ex-nurse has been left heartbroken after her beloved cat was mauled to death by a stranger's dog in her own back garden.
Fiona McMillan, 59, heard a thud on her back door and saw her rescue cat Tom in the mouth of a black Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog on the back patio of her home in Glenrothes, Fife.
Fiona, who is disabled and has a number of health conditions, desperately struggled to try and free Tom from the dog's mouth, reports Daily Record.
Moments later, Fiona claims a woman and a shirtless man suddenly appeared in her garden and pulled the dog away, fleeing the scene within seconds.
Fiona rushed to Tom's side but sadly the cat had already died.
She said: "I tried to pull the dog off Tom but it was no use. Suddenly a woman appeared on the patio then a man with his shirt off.
"I asked them, 'Is that dog yours?' and the woman said, 'It's his.' to which the man replied, 'It was you who let him out'.
"He pulled the dog away and they both quickly left. I was in a state of shock, I didn't know what to do.
"Tom's eyes had rolled back and his mouth was open, he wasn't moving. I knew he was dead straight away.
"It was devastating."
The former NHS worker took in "quiet and friendly" Tom from a re-homing centre in late 2018 after he'd been left behind by two previous owners.
She says she is now frightened to sleep and fears she will suffer nightmares after witnessing the horrific attack.
Fiona added: "I'm heartbroken and angry. I've barely slept since Saturday - I'm too scared to sleep in case I get nightmares.
"I don't have any children, it was just Tom and I.
"He was company for me for the last three years, especially during lockdown, and now he's just gone.
"Locals should be aware of this dog. It could kill again."
Fiona reported the incident onto police later that day and the matter was passed onto Fife Council's dog warden.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "On Saturday, May 21, officers received a report that a cat had been killed in Aitken Road, Glenrothes.
"Advice and assistance was given and the reporter will be referred to the relevant agency."
