THE RSPCA is appealing for information after a cat was shot in the eye by an air rifle near Blackwood.

The black cat, Mikey, was shot in the Valley Meadow Close area of Newbridge on Thursday.

He returned home at around 11.30pm and his owner rushed him to the emergency vets.

Due to his injury his eye was removed on Friday.

The vet also discovered that the one-and-a-half year-old had been shot previously, with another pellet was found lodged in his chest following an X-ray.

It is unknown when that incident is likely to have happened.

RSPCA inspector Izzi Hignell said: “It appears that this poor cat has been shot in the eye deliberately. It is horrible to think of the pain he went through.

“Mikey is lucky to be alive, it is shocking that this may have been the second time he has been attacked.

“We don’t know who could have done this, so we are appealing for information.”

Anyone with information should contact the RSPCA inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018. Calls are treated in confidence.”

Owner Chelsea Andrews said despite Mikey being shot straight through the eye, he is on the road to recovery.

“He has had his final stitches out and he is healing,” she said. “The other pellet in his chest has been there for a while, but luckily it is not causing him any problems.

“The first couple of days he was so down and just wanted to be on his own. We were getting worried he wouldn’t pull through but he is coming around.”