When we trapped, neutered and returned Denzil the feral cat last year, we did not expect to see him again anytime soon – but to our surprise, we were reunited recently after he got himself into a bit of a sticky situation!

Life on the streets can present many dangers to stray and feral cats, one of them being the risks associated with rubbish that humans throw away.

Poor Denzil had somehow managed to get a roll of sellotape, which had then got completely stuck around his head and neck.Luckily Denzil and his colony are watched over by a long term feeder, who noticed the sellotape on Denzil’s head and immediately sent a photo to our Animal Welfare team.

We then went straight out to rescue the one-year-old tabby, trapping him carefully before bringing him back to Mayhew. 

We took him into our Clinic where our Vets sedated him, before removing the cardboard ring. Thankfully it had not caused any significant harm aside from the stress of getting stuck, and Denzil was otherwise in good health.Because he was feral and had not suffered from any injuries, we released him back into his colony again later the same day, after the effects of the sedation had worn off.

He is now back with his own kind and as happy as larry once more, and his feeder has told us she plans to keep an even closer eye on him from now on!

The work our Animal Welfare Officers do in our local community to help stray and feral cats is incredibly important, and we could not manage without the support of the general public who also watch out for these animals.

We are incredibly grateful to people like Denzil’s feeder, who likely saved his life by spotting the issue early enough and calling us for help. 

If you come across an animal in trouble or showing visible signs of distress, please get in touch with our Animal Welfare Officers.