A 33-year-old woman from Perth's north has been charged with animal cruelty for allegedly leaving her cat to suffer with an infected backside and injured tail for months on end.
In May, RSPCA WA received a cruelty report about the cat. An inspector attended the accused's Girrawheen unit and found the female tabby and white cat in poor condition.
She had a red, swollen backside, an ulcerated top lip with pus present, and an injured tail that was hanging limp. It is believed the tail injury had been present for more than six months.
The inspector seized the cat and transported her to the RSPCA WA Animal Care Centre in Malaga for urgent treatment. The vet noted severe ulcerations on the cat's top lip and backside, lip lesions, a luxated tail, and constipation–likely because her tail injury had hampered her toileting.
RSPCA WA will allege the accused was cruel to an animal in that the cat suffered harm which could have been alleviated by taking reasonable steps. She has been charged under sections 19(1) and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
The charge will be heard in Perth Magistrates Court on 25 November.
The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison.
The RSPCA relies on the community to report incidents of suspected cruelty and neglect. Report cruelty 24/7 on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or online.
