A 72-year-old woman has been sentenced to 60 hours community work for recklessly ill-treating a cat after cancer obliterated its not.

Tangiora Leef had taken on the care of a stray cat that developed squamous cell carcinoma (cancer of the nose and face).

This cat's nose was eaten away by cancer when the woman looking after it did not seek the proper medical attention.

On June 18, 2014, SPCA Inspector Nathalie Visser attended a Brookfield address after a reported concern of a cat with severe facial injuries.

Upon inspection she found that the cat's nose area was obliterated to the extent that the inner nasal passages and upper palette of the mouth were affected.

The cat was willingly surrendered to the inspector and on examination by a veterinarian the cat was euthanised in order to end its suffering, says Tauranga animal welfare inspector Jason Blair.

'The veterinarian advised that the disease would have been present for at least three to four months and at the time of examination the cat was experiencing pain of level 4 on a scale of one to five.

'Despite knowing the cat was in pain and being urged by family members to have the cat put down, no veterinary treatment was sought by Leef in the months it deteriorated in her care.”

Leef was convicted and sentenced to 60 hours community work and ordered to pay veterinary costs to the SPCA when she appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday.

Jason says this case serves as a reminded that if people take on the care of an animal in terms of housing and feeding, this comes with the obligation to provide veterinary care when the animal becomes sick or injured.

'Taking on the care of the cat was initially an act of kindness, however, failure to meet her legal obligation to provide treatment resulted in severe and prolonged pain and suffering for this animal,” says Jason.