Jenny Honey, from Priestwood, was horrified when Marmite came home with a shocking injury to her left eye, which had to be removed by vets.

Mrs Honey recalled: “She went out one night and did not come home until morning.

“When I saw her I was stunned.

“I noticed her left eye looked horrible and bloody and upon closer inspection I cried out.

“Her eye was horrid and swollen. I managed to get her to a vet and they informed me that she had been shot.

“She is now back home but she has lost the eye. I have the pellet as evidence and police have been informed.

“At least Marmite is alive and I am grateful for that, but I cannot forgive the person who did this to an innocent animal.” Sharon Tongue, from Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital, London Road, Binfield, confirmed that three-year-old Marmite had been shot by an airgun pellet but added that such cruel incidents are rare in this area.

Mrs Honey praised the advice and financial help she received from the charity CLAWS (Cat Lovers Animal Welfare Society), based in Maidenhead, which donated £500 towards the £750 costs of Marmite’s emergency operation, stitches and treatment after the incident on September 15.

Mrs Honey, who has three cats in all, said: “Without CLAWS Marmite would have been put to sleep.” Sue Collins, co-ordinator at CLAWS, which covers the Maidenhead and Bracknell area, said: “This is the second distressing shooting incident we have had recently.

“We have another cat, Toby, who has an air rifle pellet lodged in his spine, and as a result we cannot stroke him.

She said RSPCA statistics showed that nationally the number of cats shot by air rifles had risen from 759 in 2011 to 906 last year.