Most people might have a rough day once in a while, but it will never be as bad as the one suffered by this little mouse.

He ended up becoming dish of the day for a playful cat, which showed off its ball skills by batting it into the air with such force it did a mid-air somersault.

This once-in-a-life-time picture was captured by Californian pet owner Angelo DeSantis when he arrived at his home in Grass Valley, Nevada.

He found two-year-old cat Dexter in the garden toying with what he thought was a leaf…until he took a closer look.

Mr DeSantis, an amateur photographer, grabbed his camera to capture his black and white tabby in action.

He said: ‘He was playing with it just like he does with his stuffed toys. I was lucky enough to capture Dexter throwing the mouse into the air.

‘The poor mouse looked like it was doing some kind of gymnastics.’

At at one point Dexter teased the mouse by letting it go and then doing a nose dive to pin it back down.

One of images also shows what appears to be Dexter putting the mouse into a headlock while wrestling it to the floor.

‘He often brings mice home but I have never witnessed him playing with his food in such a way before,’ said Angelo.