A fat cat that could barely walk or even stand up because of its weight has been put down after it was found in Burnham-On-Sea severely injured and infested with maggots by the side of the road.
The RSPCA says the black and white male cat weighed 23.5lb when he was found, compared with a healthy weight for his age and size of 6.6lb-8.8lb.
The animal was taken to a vet in the town where it was found he had untreated injuries on his rear, which were crawling with maggots because he was unable to move or clean himself.
The cause of the domestic cat’s injuries are unknown but vets believe they must have existed for some time due to “the size of the maggots and the foul stench” coming from the wound when the animal was found in Frank Foley Parkway, near the town’s Tesco store.
RSPCA inspector Sue Dobson, who is leading the investigation into the case, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The cat had no microchip or collar but clearly this was an owned animal as he could not have reached this size as a stray and someone must have been overfeeding him.”
“He was probably dumped at the side of the road as he could hardly stand up, let alone walk, so would not have got very far by himself. Somebody must know where this poor creature has come from and how he came to be in such a state and it is vital they contact the RSPCA so we can make sure there are no other animals suffering in this way.”
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal could face up to six months in prison and/or a £20,000 fine. She has urged anyone with information about the animal to contact the RSPCA’s cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.
