A cat had a close shave when a pet shop worker cut off nearly all his fur during a grooming session.
His owner Natalie Thompson, 25, was left distraught when she sent long-haired Ollie for his regular spruce up at a Pets at Home store only for him to be returned shaved virtually "from head to foot".
Only the cat's head, legs and the end of his tail escaped the worker's pet shaver, much to Natalie's horror.
Staff at the pet retail chain in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear later claimed the four-year-old animal was shaved extensively to get rid of 'knots' in its fur.
Planning engineer Natalie, 25, from Newcastle said: ''When I saw they had done to Ollie I just cried my eyes out. He looked distraught and a mess.
"He is usually an outgoing cat but that has all changed since the incident and he seems traumatised. We have two dogs as well and they don't recognise him at all. They were pawing him around so I had to get him out of the way.
A spokesman for Pets At Home said: "Cats have a very delicate skin which can be easily torn or damaged. So when a cat has a matted coat like Ollie's it is sometimes necessary to clip the coat very close, using clippers designed specifically for use with cats, to avoid causing any damage to its skin.
"Although our terms and conditions highlight that a close clip may be necessary for the welfare of the pet when it's coat is matted, we appreciate that this can be quite upsetting for an owner, particularly if it isn't what they were expecting.
"We have apologised to Ollie's owner for not explaining exactly what would be involved in clipping his matted coat and have offered to refund the cost of the groom in full, together with a gesture of goodwill for the upset caused."
