A CAT has lost an eye and another may suffer the same fate after they were both shot in the face with an air rifle in York.

Police have appealed for help as they investigate the double shootings, which happened in the Huntington Road area earlier this week.

The owner of one of the cats is appealing for money for a reward to catch those responsible and has also launched an online petition calling for a ban on the sale and use of such weapons.

Dean Cooper and Rachael Hughes said their beautiful kitten Sosuke, who is almost one year old, was shot in the face, with the pellet entering just above his eye.

"The vets have managed to save his eye for the time being," said Rachael.

Dean said they had noticed on Sunday evening that Sosuke had not come home as usual for his food and knew something was seriously wrong when he still hadn't returned by the next morning.

"Then I got a call from Rachael who was very upset," he said. "She had heard him coming up the stairs and he just collapsed on the landing. She noticed blood on his face and took him to the vets, and they said someone else's cat had suffered the same sort of injuries, but had lost his eye."

He said he had launched a Crowdfunding appeal to try to raise £400 for a reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.

The appeal, at https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/rachael-hughes, had raised £298 towards its target by yesterday afternoon.

Dean said he had also also launched a petition, which can be found at www.change.org/p/rachael-banning-the-sale-and-use-of-air-and-gas-powered-weapons, in which he says 'it seems a ridiculous notion that anyone should be able to freely buy these weapons.'

He said he had been inundated with messages about many similar incidents, with property, wildlife and children being affected, and asked: "Why isn't licensing brought in to regulate and stop these weapons falling into the wrong hands?"

North Yorkshire Police confirmed that two cats had been reported as being shot in the Huntington Road area, with one of the animals, which was shot in Roche Avenue, losing its eye and the other receiving treatment.

A spokeswoman appealed for anyone with information which could help in the investigation to call police on 101, quoting crime reference 99 of May 24.