Close call with a snake nearly takes cat's life

A Tasmanian cat has had a lucky escape after being found with a deadly copperhead snake coiled around its neck.

Nine-year-old Jelly was walking up the rear porch after wandering around near her Sorrell Creek home north of Hobart yesterday morning when owner Wendy Wallace noticed the serpent. "Both the cat and the snake seemed quite happy," she said.

She called wildlife rescuers who removed the snake.



"She didn't show any signs of a bite last night, but this morning she was almost paralysed.

"She's at the vet at the moment being pumped full of anti-venom, but the vet says she'll recover fully."

She said she hadn't noticed any snakes on the property, but the previous owners and neighbours had seen them regularly.