Can i hit someone who is attacking my cat?

I let my Cat out during the day sometimes and today i just happened to be looking outside and saw a horrible sight , i grabbed a bb gun and went outside . There was a man in my neighbors yard holding my cat by her tail and was hitting her . I ordered him to put my Cat down and get out of her yard ! My neighbor has no problem with my cat coming over to her house and play with her cats . she was not home at the time . I was so enraged i almost shot him ! Could i have done this ? Her cats are outside cats and mine just goes out sometimes for a few days outside . And the man that was attacking them lives down the road and doesn't like cats , and has admitted to hating cats and wanting to kill them all . Could i have attacked him and hit him to make him leave her alone ? She is a rescue and i love her very much . And it really did enrage me , my mom called and reported him to the Animal Control and spca . I am 15 , i cussed this guy out ! I called him every name in the book , ( my mom didn't get mad then either ) he through her to the ground and walked away i was so close to either shooting him or Attacking him myself . My mom was also mad and yelling at him . NOTE THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THE LAST QUESTION .