Large exotic cat mauls woman and toddler on a city SIDEWALK after it escaped from a nearby home – then lunges at cops who shoot and kill it
- Caracal was spotted walking on Bloomington, Illinois, sidewalk on Sunday 11am
- Exotic cat attacked a toddler then its mother who intervened
- Onlooker filmed the cat roaming around and said: ‘What the hell is this thing?’
- Cat tried to attack police and animal control response on 100 block of Locust St
- A cop shot and killed the animal, trained to capture birds in Iran and India
- Mother and child transported themselves to hospital and are being treated for bites and scratches
- Caracal owner was cited for multiple ordinance violations
A mother and her child have been hospitalized after they were both mauled by an exotic cat in an Illinois residential neighborhood on Sunday.
The woman intervened to save her toddler when the caracal attacked as they strolled on the sidewalk around 11am, WMBD.com reported.
A neighbor captured the animal – similar to a lynx – in video footage filmed from inside a home.
In the clip, the man is heard saying in shock: ‘What the hell is this thing? This is just walking around out there.’
The caracal was spotted walking on a Bloomington, Illinois sidewalk on Sunday before 11am. The exotic cat attacked a toddler then its mother when she intervened
He responds to an equally confused woman inside the residence: ‘It’s a bobcat or something.’
‘Well call 911!’ she exclaims.
Police responded to a call from a home on the 100 block of Locust St and say the cat tied to attack an officer and a member of animal control.
A cop shot the cat at the scene and it died from the injuries.
The mother and child are being treated for minor puncture wounds from bites and scratches from being clawed by the animal, which is known for being trained to capture birds in Iran and India.
Cat tried to attack police and animal control response on 100 block of Locust St so a cop shot and killed it. The mother and child transported themselves to hospital and are being treated for bites and scratches. The caracal owner was cited for multiple ordinance violations
It’s reported the victims transported themselves to the hospital.
Caracals are the largest type of small cat in Africa and while females can weigh about 35lbs, males can weigh 40lbs. They can get as broad as 20 inches between the shoulders and 39 inches long.
The Bloomington neighborhood-based owner of the caracal – which characteristically possesses black tuft hair on top of the ears like a lynx – was cited for multiple ordinance violations.