Moby ends up in hospital after stroking stray cat

Animal lover Moby needed hospital treatment after petting a stray cat in his native New York.

Moby was badly bitten on the hand by the stray he came across in Chinatown.

He had to have a tetanus shot and antibiotics after his hand became badly swollen overnight.

He has vowed to steer clear of strays in the future.

Moby said: "I was walking around Chinatown and I stopped to pet a street cat (as I'm wont to do) and the street cat attacked me (as they're wont to do) and it bit my hand very deeply (as they're wont to do).

"And throughout the day my hand got more and more infected and swollen and sore. But I, being relatively stoic, just went about my business, assuming that my relative youth and relative health would prevent me from getting rabies or whatever diseases were floating around in this cats mouth.

"But no. I went to sleep with a sore hand, only to be awoken at some ungodly hour (9am) with tons of pain and the inability to move my fingers.

"So, being of sound mind and body, I went to my local emergency room where I was rushed into the 'urgent care' ward and given a tetanus shot and some mega-dose of antibiotics.

"The doctors told me that cat bites are extremely serious (especially when delivered by the foul-mouthed denizens of dumpsters in Chinatown) and they reprimanded me for not coming in right after it happened.

"Don't pet stray animals. Really. My heart bleeds for all of the homeless animals in the world, but I've learned my lesson. I don't blame the cat, but I won't be petting strays in the future."