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Cat 'hot foots' it to PDSA after jumping on cooker hob
Gizmo burnt all four paws after jumping on a hot hob
It wasn’t a hot tin roof but a hot hob which got the better of ginger cat Gizmo (2) from Edinburgh, who burnt all four of his paws when he pounced onto a cooker to get a piece of fish. Luckily, PDSA vets who treated the curious cat’s burns have got the ‘singed puss’ back on all four paws in time for Christmas thanks to their expert veterinary care.
The impatient moggy, who has a fondness for trout, was not happy to wait for his freshly cooked fish to be put in his bowl so took the liberty of getting it himself.
But the greedy puss was about to learn a painful lesson after he jumped onto a hot cooker ring, causing major burns to the pads on his paws.
His owner, Teresa Rushford (33) of Murrayburn Park, Edinburgh, witnessed Gizmo leap onto the hob before bounding off to find a hiding place and nurse his wounds.
After eventually managing to coax him out, Teresa rushed Gizmo to PDSA’s PetAid hospital at Hutchison Crossway, where he was given emergency treatment for his blistered paws.
Teresa said: “My partner had been fishing and caught him a trout! But whenever Gizmo sniffs a fish he always gets very excited.
“I’d already cooked the fish and had turned the ring off but Gizmo was so hungry and inpatient he jumped straight onto the cooker instead of waiting for me to put it out for him.”
Graeme Eckford, Veterinary Surgeon at PDSA’s Edinburgh PetAid Hospital, said Gizmo’s case was a rare one. “It’s pretty unusual; I think I’ve had one or two like this in the last five years so happily it’s not something we see every day. Usually cats are pretty wary of hot surfaces, but I think the smell of tasty fish clouded his senses so he just jumped straight onto the cooker.
“Gizmo’s back paws were the worst affected. We prescribed antibiotics and painkillers, plus creams which Teresa and her family applied at home. The main thing was to keep the wounds clean to prevent infection.”
Teresa said her partner John (28) and children Natasha (11) and Stephen (14) were extremely grateful to PDSA vets for nursing Gizmo back to health.
Thankfully, Gizmo has now fully recovered, although he now keeps a wide berth of the cooker.
Teresa adds: “He was only on the cooker for literally a second. He’s never done it before and I don’t think he will again. If he sees the cooker switched on now he won’t even go in the kitchen.”
Teresa is now extra vigilant when using the cooker to ensure Gizmo and her other cat Shadow are kept a safe distance away.
PDSA is calling for other pet owners to be careful, especially over the Christmas period, as there are many hazards that can cause unexpected injuries to pets in the home. PDSA has produced a free leaflet about pet safety which highlights some of the common hazards to watch out for around the home. Visit www.pdsa.org.uk/leaflets for more information.
Edinburgh PDSA PetAid hospital provides free veterinary treatment to the sick and injured pets of local people in need. For more information on PDSA or to enquire about eligibility please visit www.pdsa.org.uk or call 0800 7312502.
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Notes to Editors:
PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity, providing free veterinary care for the sick and injured pets of people in need and promoting responsible pet ownership. For further information about PDSA please visit www.pdsa.org.uk or call 0800 731 2502.
22/12/2011
PDSA vet Graeme Eckford with Gizmo
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