A cat was stuck in an illegal gin trap for up to five days before he was discovered by a member of the public and rescued by the RSPCA.
It was put down after tests showed it had FIV, the feline equivalent of HIV.
The cat was found in a garage at a property near Launcells, between Bude and Holsworthy in Devon, last week.
The RSPCA said it was likely the ginger-coloured tom was caught in the trap elsewhere, dragged himself to the garage to hide and could not get out.
‘Shocking state’
Gin traps have toothed or serrated jaws, giving them the ability to hold their prey, usually by the leg, without killing it.
RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Felicity Cross rescued the cat after it was found wedged amongst rubbish in the garage on 22 February.
She said: “It was horrific to find this cat in such a shocking state. He must have been in agony for a long time.
“He was impaled on the teeth of the trap and his front left leg had been crushed.”
The animal welfare charity added that the incident also highlighted why it was crucial to neuter cats, not only to curb the spiralling cat population but to stop the spread of FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), the cat equivalent of HIV.
Source: BBC News
