Run-Ins With Aggressive Black Cat Have Pearl River Residents On The Lookout
PEARL RIVER, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- People in a suburban town got a strange reverse 911 call on Monday, telling them to be on the lookout for an aggressive animal that's been attacking neighbors and pets.
As CBS2's Lou Young reported, Pearl River has been on the lookout for an aggressive black cat.
Chris McKiernan had a Fourth of July encounter with a ferocious feline near a neighbor's back door. It was a feral, possibly rabid animal.
Run-Ins With Aggressive Black Cat Have Pearl River Residents On The Lookout
The run-in put a damper on outdoor activity in part of Pearl River, in southern Rockland County.
"It's been like lockdown. I feel bad for the kids, they're afraid to go out," McKiernan said.
The cat bites, scratches, and gets away. Several people and a dog have been injured over three days. Pets are confined or on a short leash. Those who have met the attack cat said they'll never forget it.
"It was strange because it didn't make a whole lot of noise like cats usually do. It was real quiet, and stared at me and had blood on its mouth. It was a little surreal," McKiernan said.
The Saldano family feels safe in their pool, but not beyond that.
"He came out of nowhere. It was one o'clock in the morning, and all of a sudden he just leaped at me and I kicked him and he came again," Joe Saldano said.
Saldano kept kicking the cat away and it kept coming back. He finally retreated inside, and the cat sat on the welcome mat waiting for him.
The next day they were so freaked out they went to a relative's in Brooklyn, just to get away.
The cat's physical appearance has many convinced they're dealing with a case of rabies.
"It was wobbly and it was very thin," Patricia McGowan said.
Many residents are on edge. Anthony told 1010 WINS' John Montone his girlfriend fears the feline.
"She's a little freaked out about it," he said. "She's not happy, she wants to lock all the doors and hide inside."
Local police confirmed they were looking for the cat to have it tested. At least one victim has already started rabies injections.
