A deaf cat was found in an "extremely distressed" state after being shot in the face, leaving her with a golf ball-sized abscess.

Scarlet, a black and white female thought to be around 16 years old, was discovered in pain in the High Street in Milton Regis near Sittingbourne.

She was spotted by a member of the public in February wandering the streets with a large infected mass on the side of her head.

Warning: graphic image below

The RSPCA was called and took her into care. X-rays later found the abscess had been caused by a gun pellet.

Animal Collections Officer Roy Jezard said: "Poor Scarlet was in such a sorry state when I came to collect her.

"The abscess was massive and had gone right down to her bone. She would have been in an awful lot of pain and discomfort as she wandered around on her own like that

"It is difficult to know whether she had been abandoned, or whether she had been so startled by being shot she had ended up straying and getting lost.

"She is deaf, so it may be that she didn't hear someone coming up to her with a gun, which somehow makes her even more vulnerable."

Scarlet is now on the mend after being cared for by the RSPCA’s Canterbury and District branch, where her wound was cleaned and dead tissue removed.

She is now nearly well enough to be given a new home.

Centre manager Beth Hixson said: "It took quite some care to get this lovely old lady fighting fit again - but now she is doing really well.

"We had no idea at first what had caused the infection, until veterinary investigations revealed the ball-bearing gun pellet stuck in her sinuses, such a difficult spot that it cannot be removed and so she will have to tolerate it for the rest of her life.

"Scarlet is such a lovely old girl and will make the right person the perfect pet.

"She will not be on any long-term medication and does have a specific dietary needs, but would benefit from a quieter home where there are no young children or other animals, somewhere she can have all the attention and be spoilt to make up for the tough times she has had in life.

"As she is deaf, she might be better suited to a quiet neighbourhood or an indoor home."

Anyone wanting to adopt Scarlet is asked to call the branch direct on 01227 719113.