And its injuries were so serious that now the exotic feline, named Blaze, has had to have its paw amputated.

The animal, which has been likened to a "small leopard", was first spotted by a dogwalker in Bramerton, near Norwich, last month and quickly made national headlines due to its size.

The cat was first spotted in a field in Bramerton. (Image: Tom Baker/BBC)

Kevin Murphy, of the Norfolk Wildlife Rescue, said the pet escaped sometime in May, which led him to set out to find the animal and return it to its owner.

It was first seen in a field between the A146 Loddon Road and Framingham Lane on June 23.

But on Thursday (July 17), Mr Murphy tracked it down to a garden in Bramerton- about seven miles from the cat's home in the NR1 area of Norwich - where it was found sitting in a plant pot.

It was then that he realised the extent of its injuries, including a gash to its........

© Norwich Evening News