Warning after cat is attacked (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Warning after cat is attacked in Halton Lodge

1:50pm Thursday 25th October 2012 in News

A HALTON Lodge family were shocked when their cat was subjected to a brutal attack by a dog in their front garden.

Nicola Holden, her partner Aaron Baxter and five-year-old daughter Taylor are warning others to be on their guard after their cat Jess nearly lost her leg in the fracas outside their home on Cotton Lane.

“We heard noises and I opened the door to find Jess being chased by a small dog,” said Nicola.

“Aaron got between the dog and Jess, but it got around him and went for her leg. She was covered in bite and rip marks when it was all over and we’re very lucky it wasn’t worse.”

The dog, described by Nicola as a Staffordshire bull terrier type and little over a year old, could not be identified and no owner has come forward.

“Plenty of people around here don’t walk their dogs and just let them roam the street,” the 30-year-old added.

“Jess isn’t the first cat in the neighbourhood this sort of thing has happened to.”

Four-year-old Jess was taken to the PDSA, whose treatment saved her leg.

Nicola said: “They were fantastic, I can’t thank them enough. We’re entitled to their help due to receiving housing benefit. We simply don’t have the money to pay for that kind of treatment ourselves.”

Nicola gave birth to son Sebastian only 10 weeks ago.

“I was still a bit hormonal and it was quite a lot to deal with,” she added.

“Both my sister and sister-in-law have lost cats to dog attacks so I feared the worst.”