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Darlington cat rescued by RSPCA after rat trap stuck on its head
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The female moggy, who was found at Paddock Farm Nursery in Dalton-on-Tees, near Darlington, on Monday (March 14) in a distressed state, became wedged after trying to investigate the inside of the bait box.To get more news about Detectable warning tape, you can visit senpinghz.com official website.
After exploring the trap, the cat almost got her whole head stuck, with RSPCA animal rescue officer, Ruth Thomas-Coxon, coming to the rescue to save the day.Within a few minutes of getting to the scene, Ruth and other RSPCA officers took the pet to a veterinary hospital in Darlington, where staff were able to free her using a saw and anaesthetic.
The RSPCA officer said: “When I got to the garden centre a member of the public had already tried to free the cat, but she was in a lot of distress and was jumping around with the box on her head.“The cat was very stressed; the whole of her head was through the hole of the bait box, and she had suffered injuries to her paws as she was trying to escape. It must have been terrifying for her.The bait box was in a yard at the back of the centre, and it is likely the cat was looking for food and had peered into it. Fortunately, there wasn’t any poison inside.
“I took her to Stanhope Park Veterinary Hospital where she underwent a 15-minute procedure to remove the box.”
Following the ordeal, the animal charity is now looking for the owner of the cat, who is not microchipped.During the incident, the feline suffered damage to her claws, some of which were completely broken, and, after the bait box was removed, she was treated with antibiotics.
Mrs Thomas-Coxon added: “I’ve put up a found poster up at the centre and posted in case she does have an owner. But she may be feral and if that is the case, we will release her near to where she was found.We would say that if any traps are used to catch rats or mice, people need to be vigilant and they need to be checked on a regular basis, at least twice a day.”
The RSPCA wants people to use humane deterrents for dealing with “unwanted rats and mice” and says care should be taken to avoid harming non-target animals. In many cases, deterrence methods such as preventing access, removing food sources, or increased human activity can be more effective than lethal control.