Gingie, a much-loved two-year-old pet, was hit in the eye with a marble-sized piece of lead with such force it fractured a bone in its eye socket.

It appears the lead was shot from a catapult and the vet had no choice but to remove his eye.

Sarah Dennis told the Express: 'We found him laying on the doorstep on Saturday morning with a really swollen and bloody eye.

'He was really distressed and meowing and prowling around.

'We took him to the vet, who thought he'd been in a fight with another cat.

'They kept him in on Saturday night and gave him painkillers and let the swelling go down.

'On Sunday morning they operated on him and found it was much worse than suspected and found the lead weight which was the size of a marble.'

Gingie is recovering at his home in Kingston Road, Lewes, but his family have been left shocked and appalled by what happened.

Sarah said: 'My children were really upset, especially my nine-year-old Evie.

'They can't believe anyone could do that to an animal.

'What I hope is that the person who did this didn't realise what awful damage it could cause.

'I hope if they see the picture of him they will realise and think twice about doing it again.'

The family has reported the incident to Sussex Police.