The search is on for a person who shot and injured an indoor/outdoor cat in Suffolk.

Matej and Andrea Petrak, of Moriches, say the leg of their 2-year-old cat Hopper had to be amputated because of its injuries.

"He was trying to probably play and then he got shot instead,” said Matej.

The couple says they noticed their cat hopper was limping back on Dec. 3. 

"When I found him, I thought he might have a broken bone or hopefully it's just dislocated from jumping somewhere when the ground is frozen,” said Matej Petrak. “Then when the doctor came and told us he was shot, it was like just, 'Woah, how?'"

The couple turned to Frankie Floridia, of the Strong Island Animal Rescue League, for help. X-rays show the bullet shattered a bone in Hopper's back leg.

Veterinarians at the Jefferson Animal Hospital amputated Hopper's back leg because the injuries were so severe.

"Knowing that this was done to him on purpose is a very, very eye-opening situation,” said Floridia. “Somebody that's hurting animals is out there and it's a horrible thing."

The Strong Island Animal Rescue League is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone with information that can help find the shooter.

The Petraks, who took Hopper in as a kitten when they found him outside, just hope someone speaks out.

"He didn't deserve this. He did nothing to deserve this," said Andrea Petrak. "There's somebody out there hurting poor, defenseless animals."

The SPCA tells News 12 it will investigate once the owners give them more details about what happened.

The Strong Island Animal Rescue League started a fundraiser to help the owners pay for the surgery.