Cat killed deadly snake after it bit her owner

A woman from north Queensland, Australia, is recovering in hospital after being bitten by a deadly red-bellied black snake that was hiding under a garden hose. Denise Thynne was gardening at her home in Mirani, west of Mackay, when she was bitten on Monday morning. "I walked out to the yard to pick up the hose to water the roses. There was a little snake laying under the hose that I didn't see," she said. "It was laying there in the sun, I didn't take any notice until I felt the sting."

Her cat Skitzo rushed to her aid, attacking and killing the reptile. "She came out stalking and it looked like she was mesmerising it and then she just went in for the kill," Ms Thynne said. "I turned the snake over and saw the red belly and thought 'oh that's not a very friendly one'." The 66-year-old's hand started to hurt and she was taken to the Mackay Base Hospital, but she is expected to be released this morning after it was found the snake did not inject her with poison.



Ms Thynne said she was well versed in what to do, as it was the fourth time she had been bitten by a snake. "I'm a bit of a pro at this snake business," she said. "My mum always said it'll be a snake that kills me, so yeah, I'm not really planning on one [a fifth experience], but who knows. Just be careful, and wear your glasses when you go outside, that helps." Ms Thynne said her experience had taught her that if you were bitten by a snake you should "definitely not panic".

"If it's a real deadly looking one, sit under a tree with a cigarette, with a cup of tea and pray, but yeah wrap it up and hope." Emergency doctor Neale Thornton said it was important to stay calm and call triple-0 if you were bitten. "No panic, no running around, just get to a phone, call the ambulance, first aid measures is what they call it," he said. "Pressure, immobilisation bandage, if you've got the right kit, and you know how to do it, do it. If you see a snake minding its own business in the bush, just leave it alone, don't play with it, even if you think it's a non-poisonous one."

There's an audio interview with Ms Thynne here.