A taxi driver who saw the animal being thrown out of the car in Normanton came to its rescue.

"The cat was dropped from the car and then the driver ran over part of the box it was in," said David Driver of the Derby Animal Shelter.

"Peppermint is fine now, but she is deaf and has cancerous lumps on her ears."

Peppermint will be kept for a few weeks

Richard Llewellyn, who works for taxi firm, Derby Cars, said: "The cat was tossed out of the car like a load of rubbish.

"She was very thin and dingy and covered with oil stains."

Mr Driver said: "She is a gregarious cat and her cancerous ears are not life-threatening.

"She may have been kidnapped, so we want to try and trace the dark black saloon car that was seen dropping her."

Peppermint will stay at the centre until 19 August in case her owners show up and to allow RSPCA investigators to investigate the case.