Sandy Williams was bitten by a cat two weeks ago and is now on her third course of antibiotics for a septic arm.
She has not been able to drive since the attack and her 19-year-old daughter takes her to daily doctor’s appointments.
“In the past six months a feral cat kept coming on to my property and bullying my cat Tigger,” she said.
“I had to stop my cat from getting beaten up so I called the rangers and police.”
She said the rangers did not use cat traps, only a loop, and a cat trap would cost her $30 a day.
Ms Williams said she felt like no one would help, so she took matters into her own hands.
“When I saw it out there I caught it by hand,” she said.
“It sank its teeth into my wrist bone, causing 30 fissures.
“I had to get my neighbours to help and my daughter took me to Peel Health Campus.
“I was in shock after the ordeal.”
Ms Williams said the diseased cat was put down at the local vet.
“I feel sorry for it, but I had to stop my cat from getting hurt,” she said.
“If there were dogs lurking around people would act on it; if it was a dog attack things would be different.
“But no one was interested, I felt I had no alternatives and I should not have had to suffer the consequences.”
Pinjarra Veterinary Hospital spokesman Michael Gibbs said there was a huge feral cat problem, but domestic cats caused just as many issues for people.
“Cats do not understand back-yard boundaries,” he said.
Mr Gibbs urged people not to interfere with cat territory disputes.
The Shire of Murray does not have local laws to manage or control cats.
Chief executive Dean Unsworth said State Parliament may soon consider a Cat Bill which could provide local governments with the ability to better support residents with cat issues.
He said council was aware of a feral cat issue on Racecourse Road and was investigating options in how to deal with the problem.
(Mandurah Coastal Times - August 10, 2011)
