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Woman banned from keeping animals after attempting to cure cat's cancer with manuka honey

Blacky was rescued by the RSPCA but unfortunately had to be put down: RSPCA
Blacky was rescued by the RSPCA but unfortunately had to be put down: RSPCA

A woman has been banned from keeping animals for a year after she tried to heal her cat’s cancer with manuka honey.

Denise Smith, 58, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering after she tried to treat her cat's cancerous leg wound with manuka honey.

She believed the honey had healing properties but the cat, called Blacky, had to have its leg amputated.

The RSPCA said the cat survived the surgery and was rehomed but, when the cancer returned, she had to be put to sleep.

Cancer: Blacky had a tumour on her leg (RCPCA)
Cancer: Blacky had a tumour on her leg (RCPCA)

During a hearing at Wellingborough Magistrates Court, Miss Smith was banned from keeping animals for 12 months and fined £615.

The court were told that the RSPCA learned about Blacky when a concerned member of the public called them on 30 August.

Inspector Michelle Hare attended the property and found the cat with a heavily bandaged leg.

"When we took the bandages off I could see that Blacky had a large and cancerous wound on her leg which was so deep it had gone down to her tendons," she said.

"It turned out that Smith had been treating the wound with manuka honey, after reading online that it had anti-microbial properties - but it certainly isn't something which should have been used on a wound like Blacky had."

Manuka honey has been rumoured to help clear certain bacteria in the body but this is yet to be confirmed through clinical trials.