Feral Cats Attack French Woman And Her Poodle


Belfort, France — A gang of feral cats attacked a woman and her poodle in France, forcing both of them to seek medical attention for their injuries.

The woman and her dog were walking near a wooded area on Sunday when six feral cats attacked her, knocking her to the ground. The 31-year-old woman was taken to the hospital for her injuries and was also given a rabies shot.

NBC News reports that Josette Galliot, the mother of the victim, explained that the cats were somehow able to knock her daughter over. She suffered bites to her leg and arms, and even a ruptured artery. Gaillot added:

“My daughter thought it was a living nightmare. she’s still traumatized and is bordering on depression.”

While reports of serious dog attacks are seen fairly often, it is strange to hear of a vicious cat attack. The incident has left veterinarians in the area puzzled over what may have provoked the gang of feral cats to attack. However, some observers blamed a recent heat wave in the area.

Cats are known hunters and even a common house cat kills on a regular basis. However, their normal prey includes birds and small mammals. Estimates from recent research suggest cats kill upwards of 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion small mammals per year in the United States.

The Independent adds that about 8,000 feral cats are born in France every day, making the issue of feral feline gangs a big one. Some wildlife conservationists have proposed a ban on cats for that reason. If not an outright ban, they have called for a ban on free-roaming cats.

And Galliot agrees. She commented, “We must get rid of this scourge. There are too many cats in the neighborhood, many of which are strays. There are also lots of children here. We don’t want it to happen again.” It is unclear what the city plans to do with the feral gang of cats who attacked the woman and her dog. There are no reports confirming the cats responsible were caught.

[Image via ShutterStock]

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