A cat was found shot in the face with an arrow, leading officials on Friday to ask for tips from the public as they probe the “potential animal cruelty case” in Monmouth County.

Authorities discovered the wounded cat around 6:15 p.m. Monday on the 600 block of Casino Drive in Howell after being called to a report of an injured animal, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

The cat was treated at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital and recovering well from surgery, according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office.

Officials brought the feline to the Monmouth County SPCA animal shelter, where staff named the cat “Kitty Luck,” according to a message on social media from the group.

“Kitty is doing well and relaxing comfortably in our care after being subjected to this horrible act of cruelty,” the organization said.

A couple of nights back, Howell Police Department responded to a call about an injured cat. When they arrived on scene... Posted by Monmouth County SPCA on Friday, May 10, 2019

Investigators believe the weapon used in the shooting was a small, handheld crossbow. The cat appeared to be well taken care of, and is believed to be a “community cat,” which generally live healthy lives outdoors.

Officials asked anyone with information on the incident, including those who know a person in the area with a similar crossbow-type weapon, to call the prosecutor’s office Animal Cruelty Hotline at 877-898-7297 or Howell Municipal Humane Law Enforcement 732-922-0100.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters