A WOMAN has been banned for life for keeping animals after failing to seek veterinary help for her seriously ill cat – relying on ‘homeopathic remedies’ instead.

Maria Ringblom, aged 66, of St James, Beaminster, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to her cat, Tiger, in a case brought by the RSPCA at Weymouth Magistrates Court.

The RSPCA said it had been contacted by a vet who had been forced to call the police after Tiger had been brought into their practice with an untreated abscess that was so deep it had caused muscle to rot away.

Inspector Ken Snook said: “It’s vital that anyone whose animal needs medical treatment promptly takes them to a qualified vet who will be able to offer their professional advice on the best way to treat an animal’s ailment.

“Sadly Tiger had been left to suffer for a number of weeks with an abscess on the side of his body that had gone down through his rib cage and into the muscle. The lack of effective veterinary treatment in exchange for alternative therapies including homeopathy and distance healing resulted in significant suffering.”

He added: “The RSPCA had been contacted by a vet who was forced to call the police after Maria Ringblom refused to allow them to put Tiger to sleep to end his suffering and attempted to take him from the practice.

“The vet was shocked to see the condition he was in and said there was an atrocious smell that was caused by the poor cat’s rotting flesh that had been left untreated for several weeks.”

Ringblom claimed that the abscess had only begun to get progressively worse over the course of a week and said she specifically wanted her pet to be treated with homeopathy.

As well as being banned from keeping any animals for life, Ringblom was ordered to pay £100 costs and a £85 victim surcharge. She was ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid community work which must be carried out within the next 12 months.