That was until her son, Andres, noticed a peculiar bulge in the python's belly.
[/font][font=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] "I'm sure there's a cat in there," he said later.
It's the latest python incident in South Florida, where exotic snakes are proliferating and swallowing pets and other creatures whole. A 13-foot python recently gulped down a 6-foot alligator until its stomach ruptured, alarming public officials and citizens. And for residents like Rodríguez, Sunday's incident heightened concern.
On Sunday morning, Rodríguez was walking her dogs when she encountered the snake, which was 10 to 12 feet long, her son said.
He said his mother called him to the scene because he had caught snakes on the property before. He said he was trying to capture it when he noticed the bulge. That's when he decided to call 911. The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue anti-ve[/font][font=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]nom unit arrived and bagged the python about 11 a.m.
[/font][font=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] Cruz said the bulge in the python's stomach was about 15 to 16 inches, and he suspected it was the 18-pound cat.
"It was a full-size pet," he said. "I even felt the legs in the stomach."[/font]
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