A 76-year-old woman who is a pensioner spent four nights in hospital after she was left with seven stitches after an attack by a ‘large’ cat in her back garden.
Retiree Gaby Beaumont, who is also a breast cancer survivor lives in Scotland . She was feeding the birds on March 26 when her relaxing afternoon took a turn.
She was approached by a large stray cat who started ‘hissing’ loudly before pouncing at the Scottish pensioner.
Gaby told PA: ‘I turned to see what was obviously a large wild cat and it just attacked and bit me unprovoked and ran off. There was a lot of blood.
‘It was a shock and I thought I was going to pass out. Thank God the dogs were not in the garden at the time.
‘From years of living in the countryside I can tell you it was a wild cat. It must have been ill to behave like that.’Gaby’s daughter Alison took her to a GP the following day to get it checked.
‘I wondered at the time if it was infected,’ Gaby added.
‘The doctor gave me antibiotics but then on Tuesday we went to Perth Royal Infirmary A&E as it was so bad.
‘They took one look at it and told me to go to Ninewells [a large hospital in Dundee], they knew it was so serious.
‘At Ninewells they took an x-ray to see if there were any cat teeth still in my arm.
‘It was infected as there was pus coming out of it.
‘I had to undergo an operation and was under general anaesthetic. They drained the wound.
‘They then put me on strong painkillers – it was hellish and I was constantly ill.’
Gaby’s arm is still heavily stitched and it gets sore at times.
The family is still fearful the cat may be roaming around the area and will attack someone in the neighbouring properties.
‘We have two families that live nearby that have young grandchildren,’ Gaby continued.
‘If that cat attacked them [it would be horrible]. That is what terrifies me, if toddlers are around.‘This was a very large cat – bigger than my two pugs and near the size of a small spaniel.
‘It was a blue/grey colour and had white paws on its hind legs.
‘I now have a personal alarm on me that makes a big noise when I pull it. It frightens the birds and may frighten the cat if it returns.’
Gaby, who recovered from breast cancer having been diagnosed in 2014, also wished to pay tribute to the NHS staff who once again came to her aid.
She lauded: ‘They are going to get a correspondence of thanks from me.
‘I could not have asked for better treatment. We are really lucky with the NHS and they never faltered.
‘Through my cancer treatment to the all clear and through this they were amazing and they looked after me. I am really fortunate.’
