KOTA Territory NewsRattlesnakes out and about more this year

Rattlesnakes out and about more this year

Katy Eisenbraun

Kitty is making good use of his nine lives.
 
"My cat has been bitten four times. He's recovering from his 4th rattlesnake bite,"  Darlene Schafer said. 
 
The cat's veterinarian and his owner aren't sure how he survived, but both say he's quite literally a fighter.
 
"He's a bit slow at this point, his defense's are down," Schafer said. 
 
The Schafer's live in Enchanted Hills which is known as a breeding ground for rattlers. Due to the cool temperatures this year snake handler Terry Phillip says spotting them is more likely. 

"Their prime activity time is during thunderstorms or shortly thereafter, when their food is out," Philip said.
 
Increasing your chances further is the fact snakes and people have a few things in common.
 
"Everything that we like for our homes the snakes like and we basically create a five star resort for the animals," Phillip said. 
 
Avoiding them can be as easy as keeping a neat yard, free of compost boxes and if possible wood piles.
 
"Keep up the area around your house, keep your bushes outside your house trimmed up from the ground."
 
If you do run into one, the best thing you can do is leave them alone and slowly walk away.
 
"The worst thing that you can do is try and catch them, kill them, or tease them, that's how the vast majority of snake bites happen," Phillip said. 

It's also how this feisty cat's veterinarian suspects he got four bites, all to his upper body.