- Admitted
- August 14, 2024
- Released
- August 14, 2024
- Rescue Location
- Waynesboro, Virginia
- Cause of Admission/Condition
- Suspected cat attack
- Status
- Former Patient
Last Updated
On August 14, a homeowner in Waynesboro witnessed an outdoor cat catch a mysterious small mammal. The homeowner managed to get the cat away from the mystery animal and subsequently contained it for transport to the Wildlife Center. Upon its arrival, this animal was identified as an Eastern Mole, a relatively uncommon patient at the Center!
The veterinary team performed a thorough physical examination on the mole to identify any injuries sustained in the cat attack. Thankfully, the mole received a clean bill of health. Considering the lack of injuries found on this patient's intake exam, the veterinary team weighed the pros and cons of keeping the mole in care for precautionary antibiotics, which is standard protocol for cat-caught patients due to the aggressive bacteria in cats' mouths. However, since moles have a primarily underground lifestyle, this species tends to be high-stress and does poorly in human care overall.
After factoring in this species' lifestyle and the absence of identifiable injuries, the vet team determined it was in the mole's best interest to be returned to the wild as soon as possible. Later that day, the mole was successfully released back where it was found.
Even though this animal was only briefly in our care, we urge anyone who finds an animal that has been observed or suspected to have interacted with an outdoor cat to contact the Wildlife Center as soon as possible. The harmful bacteria present in cats' mouths can be easily transmitted to victims of cat attacks through bite/puncture wounds or lacerations. Most cat-caught patients require a course of antibiotics to prevent infection from setting in; however, cat-caught animals that are brought into care still face a 70-80% mortality rate. This can be due to the severity of the injuries themselves, or the result of a secondary bacterial infection developing in the animal's wounds. The best way to prevent these needless wildlife mortalities is to keep your cat indoors. For more information on the case for indoor cats, visit our Wildlife Issues page.