Police hunt for jerk who left starving kitten in bucket

Eight lives left.

A starving kitty was left for dead in a sealed-off bucket near an animal shelter in Manhattan — and cops are on the prowl to find the heartless animal who dumped it there, police and shelter sources said Monday.

Workers at the Animal Haven shelter in Soho were stunned when they found the feline — which was emaciated with a bloody face — while tidying up Thursday night, Tiffany Lacey, the shelter’s executive director, told The Post.

“This poor kitty is in bad shape and, needless to say, is terrified,” the shelter posted on Instagram Friday.

Police later found surveillance camera footage of a man ditching the bucket — which had a small hole in the lid — on Centre and Hester streets at around 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Cops are using the footage to hunt down the jerk, who was last seen wearing jeans and sweater while walking north on Centre Street.

The cat, which has since been named Charlie, was examined by a vet and is expected to survive, Lacey said. Its gender and age are unclear but it will be up for adoption soon.

The shelter — which found a different cat in a bucket last month — is pleading with neighbors to check similar looking containers for possible furry prisoners.

“PLEASE keep your eyes out for any suspicious buckets or containers like the ones in these photos!”

The first cat was dumped near the bulling on Nov. 17. It has since been adopted and named Sage, according to the shelter’s website.

“When morning [staffers] went to move what appeared to be just an empty bucket on the side of our building near the back door, they were shocked to see a tiny eye looking back up at them,” the shelter wrote about the first feline.

Police had no suspects Monday. But hopeful animal lovers said they were sniffing around for clues, too.

“He definitely lives or works in the neighborhood,” one observer wrote about the most recent cat dumper. “Get him!!!”