Man Kills Bobcat with Bare Hands
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
United States
December 17, 2009 8:54am CST
Many of you have probably already heard about this...
A man found himself in a life and death battle with a rabid Bobcat after it charged him from under his truck when he crouched too look for the source of a growling sound...the man had no time to react, and the large cat was on him. Using wit and strength, he grabbed it around the throat and squeezed, as it scratched at his arms. The man also knelt on its chest to push air out of its lungs...his closest neighbor from 3 blocks away arrived with a gun just after the man had killed it.
Now, I'm not a person to ever be happy about an animals death...but rabbi's isn't fun for anyone, including the animal that has it. That poor thing was suffering and the man put it out of its misery as fast as he could. I'm sure he wasn't thinking of the bobcat's well being during this struggle, but that's still how I see it; a mercy killing.
I would have NEVER been able to do that (physically or emotionally), I would be in big trouble if I was ever faced with a rabid animal.
Comments/thoughts about this? Had you heard of it before now?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
19 Dec 09
That's amazing. He probably would have never been able to do that if the animal wasn't sick. He must have been terrified. Now he has to get a bunch of shots for rabies.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
20 Dec 09
I just don't think the cat would have attacked if it wasn't sick: it was outside the mans house, and usually they want to stay away from people!
Ooo a mouse with rabies would have been scary!!!! lol They're small and fast!!!! Now I just have this image of a small, creepy, killer mouse!!! That's what real nightmares are made of! :P lol
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
21 Dec 09
Yeah, only Bobcat I ever saw in nature was in my headlights in a field one night. So I know they're around here, but only saw one once. So they stay away from people really well. I agree with you.
Yup, mouse ran over to my Dad and ran onto his boot, Dad took a shovel and pushed him away, he ran back on and bit the boot. He pushed away with the shovel again, same thing again. So he pushed it off, killed it, and shoveled it into a bag. Then brought to the health department where they said it had rabies. They didn't get many rabid mice, so that was quite the interest. First time I ever saw Dad Clorox boots! Plus put his boots in a plastic bag.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
20 Dec 09
My Father went up against a mouse with rabies once. It was very determined to bite him. I think it depends upon what stage of rabies. At first, I think they're stronger and more determined, but toward the end, I think they're weaker. I think I need to look up rabies.
@nenyalorien (899)
• Philippines
17 Dec 09
I think any sane person would be able to do that, in order to protect himself. Especially since, as you said it yourself, the bobcat may have had rabies.
I think it boils down to one thing: Man or Animal. Who should be saved. I think it should be Man, anyday. Sheesh. What would you do with one more bobcat running around happy? The man still has a family and kids.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
17 Dec 09
I wasn't saying I was rooting for the cat...I would never root for an animal to beat an innocent person. And as to sanity...STRENGTH would be the biggest reason I couldn't do that.@nenyalorien (899)
• Philippines
17 Dec 09
Hi Lily, hahaha, sorry if you felt like I was thinking you were rooting for the cat or something. Really, I was just giving my two cents'. :D Hope I didn't ruffle your feathers. I like the smiley btw. :D
@nenyalorien (899)
• Philippines
17 Dec 09
Hmm. Strength. I doubt it. I think even a kid, given an emergency situation, would be empowered to protect himself. I have a friend, she has a small Asian frame; she was able to push a burly guy during an altercation. Proof that size isn't a determinant as to whether a person could be strong enough to protect himself or not. :D
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
17 Dec 09
while it's certainly nothing like a bear or a catamount, a bobcat is still a pretty forbidable animal to deal with. you will inall likelyhood be able to kill it, but you won't come out unscathed and in fact, may wind up with missing hide and taking a good ammount of stitches. Add the fact that the animal was rabid and you have one heck of a battle. Raccoons come under the same heading and in fact, can be a little more of an oponent Most people don't realize how dangerous even a small wild animal can be.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Definitely! Any wild animal is dangerous, but add rabies to the mix and watch out!!!
I've seen a video where a wild fox with rabies attacked a man. It bit his foot and he almost fell the ground! If he had that fox would have torn up his face! Bad bad!
I wouldn't want to be up against ANY animal with rabies, no matter the size!
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
18 Dec 09
I had not heard the news about the man who had to kill the bobcat who was rabid. I hope I could fight of a rabid animal if it was going to attack me. People never know what they are capable of until put in this situation.
@natnickeep (2336)
• United States
17 Dec 09
I actually hadn't heard about this yet so thanks for the news. This is crazy. I am a huge animal lover also and cats are my favorite. But I think if I or my kids were put at danger at all I might be able to fight off a cat like this, because of adrenaline. The physical part would be the only problem emotionally, like you said this cat was already suffering, and when it comes to human and animal, I would want to human to survive of coarse. Very interesting topic.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Oh, if I had something to protect (whether it be my nieces, nephew or pet) I would fight like a wild cat myself! lol
@kaylachan (57647)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Dec 09
I think it's wrong. Point blank. It's wrong. Who's to say the bobcat was rappid? The animal is a wild animal. It was scared and defending itself. The man was trying only to help himself such is the struggle of life, but to claim the animal was rappid because it "attacked" is wrong. If you're a wild animal and you wonder away from your tatory, and you see something strange looking at you what would you do?
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
17 Dec 09
"Who's to say the bobcat was rappid?"
the vet who examined the animal and the lab test that confirmed the presence of the virus.....
"The animal is a wild animal. It was scared and defending itself."
It is not at all normal for a bobcat to openly attack a human like that, not at all normal, they usualy shy away from humans, even in the wild in it's own territory.
"The man was trying only to help himself such is the struggle of life, but to claim the animal was rappid because it "attacked" is wrong."
again, for a bobcat to attack like that is not at all normal behavior for it and the lab confirmed that it was in fact, rabid."
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Yeah I agree with X....the bobcat probably wouldn't have even been growling under the truck if it wasn't rabid. Plus there are physical things that can tell you if an animal is rabid...foaming at the mouth for example. Also heightened aggressiveness...
But EVEN if the animal wasn't rabid, it still attacked the guy and he had to defend himself. Let's think of the other options he had:
1) Hold the animal down until authorities showed up? Not gonna happen, he'll get tired and the animal will overpower him.
2)Let it go? Umm...it would have turned around and torn him up!
He did what he literally HAD to do to save himself. And yes, the animal was tested (as are ALL animals--domestic and wild--after an attack). It DID have rabies, and as I said...that's as much pain and suffering for an animal as a bullet in the side...
@ZeroZiat (36)
• Uruguay
17 Dec 09
Well, first of all that's new to me. And now, maybe you can even take care of yourself too, you never know what's gonna happen when the adrenaline rushes.
