**HEALTH ALERT** Possibly sick stray cat - Posted 08/06-09

From Paxtang

*** HEALTH ALERT***

AT ABOUT 5:00 P.M. ON THE AFTERNOON OF AUG 4TH, A LOCAL WOMAN, ACCOMPANIED BY HER TWO CHILDREN, AGED 11 & 7, WAS WALKING WESTBOUND ON BRISBAN STREET, BETWEEN SWAN ST AND WALKER ST. SHE OBSERVED A YOUNG, BLACK, SHORT HAIRED CAT, WHICH WAS RUNNING AT LARGE AND APPEARED TO BE A STRAY. THE COMPLAINTANT ATTEMPTED TO APPREHEND THE CAT WITH THE INTENT TO TAKE IT TO THE HUMAN SOCIETY. AS SHE GRABBED THE CAT, IT BEGAN TO CLAW AND BITE HER. SHE DROPPED THE ANIMAL, WHICH RAN TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF BRISBAN ST. AT THAT POINT IT APPEARED DISORIENTED, AND RAN OR WALKED INTO A WALL OF ONE OF THE HOUSES THERE. THE VICTIM ALSO SAID THAT AS SHE TRIED TO CONTAIN THE CAT SHE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT SHE OBSERVED THE PUPILS OF THE CAT TO BE FULLY DIALATED. AFTER THE INCIDENT SHE PROCEEDED TO A LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT. BASED ON HER DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT, TREATMENT FOR RABIES WAS STARTED AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE.

IF YOU OWN THIS CAT, HAVE SEEN THE CAT, OR KNOW THIS ANIMAL’S OWNER, YOU ARE ASKED TO CALL THE BOROUGH OFFICE DURING BUSINESS HOURS (M-F, 10-4) PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO CATCH THIS CAT OR HANDLE IT IN ANY WAY.