FISHERMEN have been urged, once again, to dispose of their fishing hooks responsibly.
This after a cat, believed to be feral, ingested a fish hook and had to be rushed to a vet on Thursday.
ALSO READ: Cat rescued in eMdoti with fish hook in its mouth
Tracy Hartley of Feral Cat Rescue received a call from a concerned resident in eMdloti who has been feeding the feline.
“The young male cat had a long piece of fishing line hanging from its backside. The feeder managed to cut a large piece of the line off as he was concerned that it may catch onto something, further injuring the cat. When the vet x-rayed the cat this morning, they found a large hook which was still attached to the line. The poor cat’s bladder was very full as the hook was making it hard for him to urinate. Luckily, the hook was easily removed and did not cause any damage to his internal organs,” she said.
Also read: More than 70 SPCA pets adopted in July
Harley explained that the hook and line had prevented the cat from urinating because it was lodged inside the cat’s anus.
Fishing hooks have been an ongoing cause for concern, added Hartley.
Also read: How lockdown stress can affect your pets
“Over the years I have dealt with a large number of fish hook injuries. Cats are attracted to the piece of bait left on the beach, not realising that danger lies beneath the surface. They swallow the bait and usually the fish hook and line along with it,” she explained.
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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
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