Nine cats taken from one home amid urgent appeal from Leitrim Animal Welfare

Leitrim Animal Welfare have highlighted several recent cases involving cats they have assisted in the local area, including one instance in which they took nine cats from a single home in the past week alone.

The cases were shared to raise awareness of the importance of neutering and early veterinary care.

The shelter detailed the incidents in a post on their Facebook page, including one case where they carried out an emergency intervention for a cat whose owner believed she was in labour but did not have the funds for veterinary care.

“By chance, we were already at the vets and within a few minutes they arrived with her.

Sadly, there was only one kitten, and it had become stuck and as a result the kitten passed away. The situation was extremely serious, the kitten had already begun to show signs of decomposition,” the spokesperson said on social media.

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The mother cat survived the incident, but the shelter noted it was a “deeply traumatic and entirely preventable situation.”

Leitrim Animal Welfare also rescued nine cats from one home over the course of a week, which they said could have been completely avoided through spaying and neutering.

“Initially, we received a surrender request for three cats and four one-week old kittens after one of the cats had been attacked by a dog and the owner feared they had a disease.

All were brought into our care and received veterinary treatment,” they said.

Another cat from the same home later came into their care after also being attacked by a dog. All of the cats are recovering well and receiving treatment.

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Lastly, Leitrim Animal Welfare described how a Mohill resident contacted them regarding a feral cat suffering from a severe infected wound.

“We dropped down a trap, and thanks to their proactive efforts, the cat was safely caught, we were then able to collect the cat and transport it to the vets.”

Unfortunately, due to the extent of its injuries, the decision was made to humanely euthanise the cat on welfare grounds.

Concluding their message, the shelter noted that these cases are sadly not uncommon.

“So many of the situations we see could be prevented through spaying and neutering; seeking veterinary care early and responsible pet ownership,” the post concluded.

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“Thank god you're there to pick up the pieces. I wish people would get the message,” one person commented.