A ginger cat has been spotted hanging from a tree with an illegal steel-jaw trap around its leg in a quiet harbourside town.

The domesticated animal was first seen “panting heavily, exhausted and in clear distress” in the Adelaide suburb of Taperoo on Saturday, according to RSPCA South Australia.

Caught for three to four days, the trap was cutting into the skin and causing a painful infection to grow inside the cat's leg.

The otherwise placid animal was quickly becoming frightened and ferocious.

RSPCA spokesperson Caroline Jones told Yahoo News Australia, the young male, who rescuers later named Ed, was trying to balance himself with one paw on top of a corrugated iron fence.

“His other legs couldn't do much, so just this one paw was supporting him,” she said.

“The woman who saw him rushed inside to get a box, and when she came out, Ed had actually lost its grip on the fence and was literally dangling from the tree, being held just by the trap.”

“He was exhausted, but as soon as they put him in a box and lifted him up so that the weight was not being borne by that injury, he all but let out a sigh of relief.

“He knew they were there to help.”

Trapped cat loses leg after horrifying ordeal

South Australia’s metropolitan fire brigade was able to assist in getting Ed out of the tree, and he was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic for treatment.

Suffering from dehydration, a crushed leg and broken pelvis, he was given pain relief and fluids.

Vets determined his leg was necrotic, leading to a decision to amputate, and Ed was said to be recovering well on Tuesday.

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Describing traps – like the one that ensnared Ed – as “barbaric”, Ms Jones said they are known to catch wildlife as well.

“It's not just cats, we've had possums, we've had foxes, I think even birds have been caught in these traps at times,” she said.

“They're indiscriminate, they will trap anything that walks over them.

"There have been instances of animals literally trying to gnaw their legs off to free themselves – they cause that much agony."

People caught setting a steel-jaw trap in South Australia face fines of up to $2500. If an animal becomes caught in that device, they face imprisonment and fines of up to $20,000 under the state’s animal welfare act.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact RSPCA on 1300 477 722.

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