A woman, 61, who was feeding cats on a tin roof on HaGa’aton Street in Nahariya is in moderate to serious condition after the roof collapsed and she fell.
United Hatzalah volunteers responded to the emergency and treated the woman at the scene for her injuries.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Noam Lifschitz who was one of the first responders at the scene reported: “The woman was feeding cats on a tin roof that collapsed. As a result of the fall, she suffered a severe injury to her head and limbs. I treated her at the scene after which she was transported to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya and was listed in moderate to serious condition.”
Feral cats often live in groups called colonies, which are located close to food sources and shelter. A “managed colony” is taken care of by humans who supply food and water to the cats, provide shelters and veterinary care, implement trap-neuter-return programs, find foster homes for cats that can be socialized for eventual adoption, and educate people in the neighborhood.
The existence of a healthy and stable community of stray cats among humans is considered to have certain benefits for humans as protection against mice, rats, snakes, and insects. Also, ecologically, in areas near localities where humans have exterminated the natural predators, cats’ hunting activities can help balance natural populations.
In the Middle East, the cat is one of the oldest natural predators. Cats have resided near permanent settlements, especially urban settlements, as has been documented for millennia. The cat’s ability to utilize human-generated garbage as food and to hunt mice and rats makes cats valuable members of the community.
Cats were revered in Ancient Egypt. It was against the law to harm a cat or to take cats outside the country (the Talmud documents a similar law regarding saws). A legend tells of a Roman soldier who killed a cat in Alexandria and the local Egyptians killed the soldier in retaliation.