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When Good Cats Go Bad
EFL:
An otherwise "loving family pet" was shot dead by police after the tabby cat went berserk and terrorized a city family late last week, The Intelligencer has learned. The bizarre ordeal began when the family's 12-year-old daughter arrived home from school Wednesday evening and began petting the feline, 'Mickey,' in the living room of their east end home. "He was just your average, playful cat," who never had any behaviour problems before the incident, recalled the homeowner, who asked her family's name not be used. "He was a sweet and loving household pet." | Yeah, that's just what cats want you to think.. |
While her daughter was stroking the long-haired white and orange tabby in the living room, the feline leisurely walked downstairs.  | Mine do that slow walk right in front of me trying to trip me... |
But when Mickey emerged from the basement-area of the home, it was " ... a different animal ... it looked as though it was possessed." Ears flat back, hair standing on end and eyes bulging, Mickey lunged across the dining room and attacked her daughter, biting through her jeans and slicing into her leg. When the cat released its grip, it continued coming at the girl, shrieking and hissing. | Like I've said before, a cat is 8 pounds of soft fur around a razor blade.. |
The husband arrived home a short time later and managed to corner the cat in the living room until his wife and two children could sneak out the back door to safety. "So I stood there having a stare-off with this cat for 20 minutes until the officer arrived," he said, adding that both animal control and police were called to the scene. While it ran wildly around the interior of the brick bungalow, the cat continued shrieking and began defecating throughout the home. As the constable entered the home, the cat ran up the stairs and stared the officer down. Speaking to The Intelligencer on condition of anonymity, the constable said he had " ... never seen an animal act like that before — it was like it was possessed or something, hissing and growling." | Been there, done that, have the scars |
The officer shot the cat square in the chest with his Beretta .40-calibre handgun. | "Look out, Ned! He's going to charge, shoot him!" |
"Even after he shot it, that cat was so hopped up — we're talking about a little, eight-pound cat — Mickey ran down the hall into the bathroom and jumped into the tub," the husband recollected. "He didn't die for at least five minutes ... he was all nerves and adrenaline ... he wasn't in his right mind." | Should have used more gun, with silver bullets.. |
Government test results earlier this week confirmed the feline didn't have rabies. An autopsy to determine the exact cause of the animal's behaviour is not scheduled, however. Without knowing the animal's history, Dr. Kim Drysdale of the Belleway Veterinary Hospital on Highway 62 said it would be hard to pin-point the exact cause of Mickey's wild behaviour. "There are cats out there that are a little bit aggressive," whether because of its natural disposition or a medical ailment of some sort, she said. And an angry feline can be a handful — even more vicious than an aggressive dog, Drysdale said. "A cat with a behaviour problem or serious aggression problem can be a force to be reckoned with. But that's not normal — most cats are pretty nice and social." "We have heard stories about people not being able to leave their homes because their cat was blocking the doorway. So some cats can be aggressive."
Posted by: Steve 2005-02-23 |
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