A male tabby, which lost its eye after being shot in the face with a paintball gun, was given a new home Monday afternoon just a few hours after he was made available for adoption.

The eight-month-old cat was found in Fort Saskatchewan on March 29th and brought to the Edmonton Humane Society.

The male tabby lost its eye when someone shot it in the face with a paintball gun. (Edmonton Humane Society )

The animal was covered in red paint and its left eye was dangling from its socket. The cat was rushed into surgery but the eye had to be removed.

"It was horrifying to see this cat come to us in such terrible condition and suffering," Humane Society spokeswoman Shawna Randolph said in a news release.

"We can’t believe that someone actually did this. Animals can’t defend themselves and truly deserve dignity and respect."

The cat has since recovered and was made available for adoption on Monday with a new name — Captain Jack.

Randolph credited media coverage for the fast adoption. She hopes the coverage will also encourage a witness to come forward.

RCMP will be investigating the paintball shooting as the case lies outside the jurisdiction of the Edmonton Humane Society.