Welsh woman sentenced after failing to treat cat’s leg injury

A Cardiff woman has been disqualified from keeping animals for three years after causing suffering to her cat after failing to treat her leg injury.

Adrianna Caldarer of Moorland Road, Splott, Cardiff, appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday (30 January).

She had previously pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act in that she caused unnecessary suffering to a black and white cat known as Melody by failing to provide veterinary treatment for her leg injury.

She was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order, 120 hours of unpaid work, a 15 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and was ordered to pay £1,000.

She was disqualified from keeping all animals for three years. In mitigation it was heard that she gave a guilty plea and was capable of rehabilitation.

The court heard that Melody had been taken into a veterinary surgery on 10 April 2025 by a neighbour of the owner due to concerns of the cat being lame.

In veterinary history – provided to the court – it stated that at this examination Melody was not bearing any weight on her right foreleg and was painful and crying out on examination of the limb. It was also noted there was an old wound on the inside of the left hind leg. They administered pain relief but were concerned as they could not rule out a fracture.

The owner was offered a number of options from x-rays, signing the cat over to them or attending their own veterinary surgery the following day – with pain relief supplied to last until then. It was heard that the owner opted for the pain relief and was advised to keep the cat confined and was told that it was very important to seek veterinary attention the following day.

The advice was not taken and following failed attempts to bring Melody to a vet RSPCA Inspector Sophie Daniels attended the property on 12 April.

Initially there was no reply from anyone at the property until a male opened the door and told Inspector Daniels that Melody “was fine and that he had medication”. He showed her a bottle dated 10/04 with a very small drop of liquid remaining in the bottom. She asked where Melody was and that she needed to go to a vet and he said she was sleeping.

She was then met by Caldarer who said that Melody “was fine and eating and drinking and playing and was not in pain”. She said she “just had a wrist problem.”

When Inspector Daniels asked to see Melody or for her to be brought to her this was refused. She informed the owner that she would need to call the police, and it was then Caldarer stated that the cat was at another address with her mother, who would take Melody to the vet.

After seeking an opinion from a vet who stated that Melody would have been in a suffering state, Inspector Daniels called the police for assistance but when they arrived no-one was at the property.

Police forced entry but Melody was not 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.”

Unfortunately police were unable to attend the following day. On Thursday 17 April having established that Melody had still not been returned to either vets, Inspector Daniels requested police assistance once again.

Melody was not located in the property but before she left RSPCA Inspector Sophie Daniels checked the lane behind the property and found Melody, who was then taken into possession by police and taken to a vet for examination.

In a witness statement provided by an RSPCA vet who examined Melody, the vet said she was lame with a pain reactive around the elbow and shoulder area and she was given pain relief.

He said: “On 8 May 2025 she was returned to the clinic lame again with a five centimetre swelling on her leg, painful on manipulation of her shoulder and two scabs on the outside of the leg. 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.”

On 22 May the wound was healing well and the vet had no concerns at that stage.

He said: “The most likely cause for these issues looks back on the history is that she was attacked by another cat, bitten or bitten and clawed on her leg, causing the acute pain but also injecting bacteria that at a later stage swelled into an abscess.

“In interview the owner stated that the old healed wound on her hind leg was from an injury that the owner was aware of but had treated with cream herself and not sought veterinary attention.

“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.”

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

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.”