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Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by Cro on March 11, 2006
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Just got a call from a neighbor up the road.
Seems that their tough old tom cat Tiger found a 3 ft Copperhead in their backyard this afternoon.
The cat was struck in the face with visible blood and was acting injured, but managed to run off toward a swamp.
The Copperhead was damaged beyond repair by the neighbors shovel.
Perhaps old Tiger will return in a couple of days, perhaps not. The area it went to is very thick and overgrown, and very swampy. Would take a lot of searching to find him in there.
No one knows how big a dose of venom the cat took, but it was apparently swatting at the snake and trying to bite it.
Will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Anyway, with the 75 degree temperatures, the snakes are out and about here.
JohnZ
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by Anti-VenomMan on March 11, 2006
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Keep in mind anti-venom works well on animals (if you can get fast enough). For people that live in Miami we keep expire antivenom just for this reason. Contact info is on the left under Antivenom Bank. Local hospital pharmacys may have expired antivenom as well.
Good Luck
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by Cro on March 11, 2006
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Thanks Charles for the info on expired AV.
It got too dark to keep looking for Tiger, so I will spend some time trying to find him tomorrow morning, if he has not returned on his own by them.
He is a tough old cat, and has survived raccoon fights, dog fights, a busy street, BB guns, etc.
It would be ashamed if Old Tiger was done in by a Copperhead.
Best Regards
JohnZ
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by keyz on March 12, 2006
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Sorry to hear that, but you know what I am gonna quote
Curiosity killed the cat, naver a more apropriate time than this to illustrate that non-native species are killing native species. Althogh it was a shovel that actually killed it.
Hope the Cat is o.k. as it is someones pet, but WHY KILL the SNAKE sounds to me as if it was only defending itself and got a smack over the head for it's efforts, hardly a fair outcome, no wonder snakes are in decline!
no offence intended, I am more concerned about the dead snake, sorry.
keyz.
Also living where the cat does what do they expect to happen knowing snakes are around.
To many mistakes,injured cat, dead snake,unhappy family.
all a bit much for me as this could have been avoided.
Kieron.
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by Cro on March 12, 2006
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Kieron: You ask ``Why kill the snake?``
Well, if I had been there, I would have captured it and re-located it somewhere else. I do feel sorry for the snake, as he was just being a snake.
Like you say, the snake was just minding his own business, out for a crawl in the sun, looking probably for a tasty chipmunk or mouse to eat.
The man who killed the Copperhead did what most people who see venomous snakes do.
He had no knowledge of how to capture it. And he was not going to leave it, as the back yard it was found in frequently has 5 or 6 little kids playing back there.
In a way it was lucky that the cat found it before one of the kids did.
It will never be easy to convince people not to kill vemomous snakes, as they see them as something that can kill them or their kids.
I do think though that we are making progress, as more and more people are learning to recognise harmless snakes, and are leaving them be. Now days when someone finds a kingsnake or ratsnake, they are more likely to leave it alone, or call someone like me who will move it to somewhere else.
And as far as Tiger, well he has not been found yet.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by keyz on March 12, 2006
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Sorry he is not back yet.
I see what you mean about the children who could have come across the snake you made your point very well and took no offense, which I am very happy about!
cheers mate,
kieron.
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by Cro on March 13, 2006
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Todd: Sorry about keeping everyone in suspense.
So far Old Tiger has not been found.
The little 10 year old girl who owned the cat (as much as anyone can own a cat) is very upset, as she had the cat as a pet since she was a baby. And her parents are in the middle of a divorse also, so it is probably doubly tough for her.
I am afraid that Tiger might have taken a big hit of venom. And with the hit being in the face, that is not good. It is also possible that the snake nailed him more than once.
The area the cat went into is large. It might be that the only way he will be found will be to watch for circling buzzards in the next few days.
Folks are still hopefull he will return, but he might have used up all of his 9 lives.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by Cro on March 15, 2006
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Amazing !
Old Tiger returned home !
He is Alive and Well.
His face is still somewhat swollen, as is one of his paws.
There are two distinct fang puncture wounds on his face.
Who knows where he went, and what he did to get through the bite, but it worked.
Guess he had at least one of his 9 lives still left.
Thanks to everyone here who sent out well wishes for the cats return to the little girl.
I believe that because people here cared, that it helped make the difference in how the cat was able to survive the snake bite.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Tom Cat verses Copperhead
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by keyz on March 16, 2006
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Glad to hear that there has been atleast one good thing to come out of this, I hope he stays fit and well and that the little girl is happy,
good news cro! Kieron.
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