Warning: Would You Save This Kitten From a Deadly Python?

4 years ago Nature

An Australian woman is healing from injuries suffered when she saved her kitten’s life by punching a python.

Cute kitten attacked by Python

Ruth Butterworth was raising the kitten in the Australian city of Brisbane. The python puncher said she was trying to save the kitten, which she’s named Tuffy, from the same fate as its mother. Its mother, Coco, had been squeezed to death just days before Tuffy’s attack. It’s unknown whether the same python was responsible.

Butterworth said: "It was almost dark and I saw this silhouette coming down, and I knew what was about to happen to Tuffy. Here was this evil thing coming out of the fence, coming down, and within a couple of seconds it had the cat."

Try as she might to get little Tuffy back to safety, the kitten was oblivious to the danger and ignored her calls before it was attacked.

"I just started punching the thick part of the snake where it was about the size of my arm. I wasn't looking, I just kept punching until it let go,” said Butterworth.

After the battle, the snake slithered away. Butterworth then realized she’d been hurt in the scuffle. For her heroic kitten saving efforts, she suffered a broken wrist and several bites from the snake.

Source: News.com.au

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Written by: Chris

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Comments

Old Comments

Zenon says

Aug 14th, 2009 at 12am
That was by far the dumbest thing ever. "The evil thing". For crying out loud its not evil, its just a snake. If you want to see an amimal that is evil then just look up as you brush your teeth in the morning. We humans have done far more "evil" things in this world. As for the snake, it was trying to eat a meal! Whats so evil about that??? Its a living animal, thats what animals do. They eat other animals in order to live. We as humans do the samething!!!

anca says

Jul 28th, 2009 at 12am
how could you stupid people could let that cute little baby kitten to be killed? you don't deserve to live...fairly more does tuffy

Joseph says

Jul 24th, 2009 at 12am
Why the heck was the kitten outside at all, particularly if the mother cat was killed by a python only days before???

Dumbasses says

Jul 14th, 2009 at 12am
It's great that everyone's so fucking smug about how empathetic they are towards the python (true animal lovers and true egalitarians who don't discriminate between species, I applaud you, I really do), but it was just as "natural" for the woman to punch the python to protect the kitten--her "baby" as it was for the python to want to eat the kitten--its food. "Hating" the woman for acting in her own self interest/in the interest of her beloved kitten (just like the python did) is just as stupid as hating the python for trying to satiate its hunger. Conclusion: Don't apply double standards and think you're that smart/cool/intelligent/open-minded. You're not. :)

Alec Bright says

Jul 7th, 2009 at 12am
You're a true hero to me, I like to think I'd have done the same thing, but who knows. Well done you!!

Helen says

Mar 17th, 2009 at 12am
A snake has to eat, just because snakes aren't cute and cuddly they shouldn't be stopped from doing what comes naturally for their survival. I'm sure Ms Butterworth wouldn't have bothered saving a mouse from the kitten's sharp claws.

Rachel says

May 9th, 2008 at 12am
i would definately jump in to save my cats if something was trying to eat them- then again though, my cats would not be outside where they could be eaten. i take my cats outside but never unattended and if i see an eagle fly over i take them right in. no one is wrong in the situation. the snake was hungry and saw an opportunity. the kitten doesn't look like it's all there mentally (although this picture could have been taken after it was attacked) so it was probably oblivious. the woman had her instincts kick in and she reacted. with minor injuries it seems like everything turned out okay and i just don't see why there is all the name calling and bashing of other's opinions. i do wonder why should would let the cat outside after it's mother had just been taken by a snake. there is a saying that lightning strikes no where twice but i think we can all agree it's not true.

Simon says

Apr 9th, 2008 at 12am
Meh, I feel its justified to try and defend a cat from a snake, even though its not the snakes fault at all. If you look at it from a certain point of view, you cold argue that she own the cat like she owns a fridge (probably), so she is just stopping what she owns from getting damaged.

bob says

Mar 31st, 2008 at 12am
what a fucking stupid woman. She is lucky to have survived

person says

Mar 26th, 2008 at 12am
I think Jard is an idiot. Why are you making such a huge deal that she left the cap lock on? wow. You are a freak. I would save something I loved from destruction if I had the chance, even If I was hurting someone lese to do it. Anyone who is not evil would do that.