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A family cat is expected to survive after its body was pierced by an 18-inch aluminium arrow.
Two-and-a-half-year-old Marmite managed to make it back to his home in the Scottish Borders village of Newcastleton after being struck.
Police are investigating the incident to try to discover if the cat was the victim of a deliberate attack.
Owner Mark Richardson said Marmite must have used up one of his nine lives after surviving the ordeal.
Police are trying to establish exactly what type of weapon was used.
The cat was spotted on Tuesday with the arrow through its body but attempts to catch the animal failed.
Marmite eventually turned up the following day at the home of Mark and Lesley Richardson and children Chloe and Ben.
The cat was taken to the Capon Tree veterinary surgery at Longtown where vet Emma McManus removed the arrow through a delicate procedure.
Mr Richardson said: "Marmite is recovering well at the moment but he has been very lucky.
"You can say he has only got eight lives left after this.
"The arrow has gone in at the front of his right leg, grazed his spine and come out the left leg."
He said that the cat had been very fortunate not to be more seriously hurt.
"The vet said that if it had been half an inch lower it would have hit his organs and a couple of inches higher would have shattered his spine," he said.
"We don't know if someone has been firing in the woods and accidentally hit the cat but they should not be doing that as they could easily hit a child.
"If it is malicious then it is really sad and hopefully the police will catch whoever is responsible."
Newcastleton's community police officer Brian Murray said they were keeping an open mind about the incident.
"We would ask for any witnesses or anyone with information to contact us," he added.
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