Putney Animal Hospital Takes In Jungle Cat

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The RSPCA’s Putney Animal Hospital found that the poorly animal was too ill to save

The RSPCA is appealing for information after what was believed to be a sick jungle cat was handed in to one of its London veterinary hospitals on Tuesday evening (14 November).

The male cat, thought to be a jungle cat, was around two years-old and presumed to have been kept as an exotic pet. He was handed in to the veterinary staff at Putney Animal Hospital onClarendon Drive on Tuesday evening by an anonymous person.

As soon as the staff saw that the cat was not a typical domestic cat, they contact Animal Collection Officer Jill Sanders straight away who safely confined him in a secure carrier.

Jill said: “This was a really beautiful animal but you could tell straight away he was unusual. He was bigger than a normal cat with very distinctive ears, and he was very frightened. Once I secured him in the carrier I transported him to exotic animal specialists at Heathrow, as I knew they would have the expertise to officially identify him, and care for him.”

Jungle cats are most commonly found living wild in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. They can grow up to around 110 cm long and around 38 cm tall, and weigh up to around 13.5 kg. Their distinctive long rounded ears have a tuft of hair at the tips and their tails are relatively short compared to the domestic cat.

Unlike many cat species, jungle cats enjoy water and are proficient swimmers that will dive into water to catch fish. Whilst they commonly hunt and eat small rodents, they will also hunt reptiles, amphibians, birds and have even been known to kill wild pigs.

To keep a jungle cat legally in the UK an owner would need a licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. This cat was not found to have a microchip.

The RSPCA do not believe that a jungle cat would be a suitable species to be kept as a pet, as they are wild animals with very specific needs which relate to where they come from in the wild. It would be impossible to adequately meet the needs of a jungle cat in a typical household environment.

Sadly, on examination, the jungle cat was found to be extremely thin and suffering from an infection which was making him very sick, therefore the decision was made by the vet that the kindest option was to put him to sleep to prevent further suffering.

If anyone has any information about who owned this cat, or where it came from, they can call in confidence on 0300 123 8018.

November 23, 2017