Cardiff woman banned from animals after cat’s death

A Cardiff woman has been handed a three-year animal ban after her cat died from an infection she failed to treat.

Adrianna Caldarer, 26, from Moorland Road in Splott, repeatedly ignored pleas from RSPCA inspectors and police to get veterinary treatment for her black and white cat Melody, who was crying out in pain from a leg injury.

Despite numerous visits to her home where officials were told the cat was “fine” and being taken to the vets, Caldarer refused help – even after a concerned neighbour took Melody to a veterinary surgery on April 10 last year.

At that examination, vets found Melody wasn’t bearing any weight on her right foreleg and was in severe pain. Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard the cat was “painful and crying out on examination of the limb” with an old wound also visible on her left hind leg.

Multiple warnings ignored

Vets administered pain relief but couldn’t rule out a fracture. They offered Caldarer several options including X-rays or signing the cat over to them, but she chose only to take pain relief home and was told it was “very important” to seek veterinary attention the following day.

She didn’t follow that advice.

RSPCA inspector Sophie Daniels visited Caldarer’s property on April 12. A man answered the door claiming Melody “was fine and that he had medication,” showing a bottle from April 10 with barely any liquid left.

Caldarer then told Inspector Daniels the cat “was fine and eating and drinking and playing and was not in pain” and “just had a wrist problem.” When asked to see Melody, Caldarer refused.

Only after Inspector Daniels said she would call police did Caldarer claim the cat was at another address with her mother who would take Melody to the vet.

Police forced entry

After getting a vet’s opinion that Melody would have been suffering, Inspector Daniels called police for assistance – but when they arrived, no-one was home. Officers forced entry but Melody wasn’t found.

Inspector Daniels said: “They told me that the back bedroom upstairs contained an empty cat cage and packets of food and that it smelled strongly. The police then secured the front door and we left the address with a view to reattending the following day.”

On April 17, the RSPCA and police returned. Melody still wasn’t in the property, but Inspector Daniels checked the lane behind and finally found her. Police took possession of Melody and brought her to a vet.

Injury worsened

An RSPCA vet who examined Melody found her lame with pain around the elbow and shoulder area. By May 8, she had a five-centimetre swelling on her leg with two scabs on the outside.

The vet said: “She was bright and purring during the examination but, on bathing, pus started to come out of the holes. Gentle pressure was applied to get out as much as possible and she was started onto antibiotics as well as the pain relief. The following day she was anaesthetised and the wound was opened up to allow better drainage of the wound.”

Vets believed Melody had been attacked by another cat, which injected bacteria that later developed into an abscess.

Previous injury left untreated

During interview, Caldarer admitted she was aware of an old healed wound on Melody’s hind leg but had only treated it with cream herself rather than seeking veterinary attention.

The court heard: “The wound looked about three to four centimetres long in a curve a wound of that size (more likely larger as wounds shrink as they heal) would have been painful for a considerable time (about two to three weeks) as it healed. By failing to seek veterinary attention for pain relief the owner has allowed her to suffer unnecessarily from her injury due to ongoing pain.”

Melody later died in RSPCA care from infections related to the initial injury.

Court outcome

Caldarer appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday, January 30, having previously pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act – causing unnecessary suffering to Melody by failing to provide veterinary treatment for her leg injury.

She was disqualified from keeping all animals for three years, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement, and must pay £1,000 in costs.

In mitigation, the court heard she gave a guilty plea and was capable of rehabilitation.

Following sentencing, Inspector Daniels said: “Every animal deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and if you have a pet you are responsible for making sure they are happy and healthy.”