The homeowner thought Shelly the cat caught mice when he heard strange noises in the evening, but later, the nursing staff discovered the body of the copperhead snake.

Jimmie Nelson, 81 years old, living in Speedwell, Tennessee, adopted cat Shelly from the Claiborne County Animal Care Center. He heard an unusual noise on the evening of September 24 but thought it was Shelly catching mice. In 50 years of living here, Nelson has never encountered a snake crawling into his house.

Two days later, a nurse visited him and discovered the body of a copperhead snake under the table. This person reported the incident to Teresa Seals, Nelson’s daughter. “My husband noticed that the snake’s body was hard, meaning it died a day or two ago. Shelly was not injured. However, the copperhead snake had several scratch marks on its head and neck so the cat must have killed it.” “Bring it out and show it to my dad. Shelly is a real hero,” Seals shared.

The copperhead snake (scientific name Agkistrodon contortrix) is one of four species of venomous snakes in the state of Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. This animal has a medium size, strong and heavy body. Their venom is not too strong, so death from a bite is rare. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people who are bitten by snakes should seek medical assistance as soon as possible.