Cat saves her little boy from attacking dog!

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

This is love:

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs...ries.html?vp=1

A family in Bakersfield, Calif., is giving their cat extra special treats today after she was captured on tape chasing away a neighbor's dog that had attacked their son.

Roger Triantafilo said his son Jeremy, 4, was riding his bike Tuesday outside the family home when the dog bit him on his left leg.

Their cat, Tara, pounced on the dog, chased him away and then stayed with the injured boy while his mother, Erika Triantafilo, who was nearby, got help.

The boy suffered two lacerations and needed sutures.

Roger said that he and Erika got a surprise when they checked the surveillance camera footage around their house and saw what Tara had done.

"We both gasped and said 'Holy cow!' Roger told ABC News today. "We couldn't believe that happened."

"To have her - with no regard for her own life - fly at the dog to protect [Jeremy]," Erika said. "I've never seen anything like that."

After they uploaded the video on YouTube, the two said they started getting calls from Georgia to New York. The dog was voluntarily taken to an animal shelter for observation.

Roger said Tara, who followed the parents home from a park in 2008, had bonded with Jeremy because he was the firstborn. The couple also have a set of twins.

Roger said Jeremy and Tara shared a bond and that the cat even used to sleep in his crib.

"My hero!" Jeremy said about Tara.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I saw this yesterday - it's gone crazy viral. Absolutely amazing!

I was wondering about the dog, though. I'm not sure how I feel about the dog being "under observation..." Maybe it's a euphemism.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Love this cat! She's a Super Hero!

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

That was pretty good. Im not really a cat person but that one is ok.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

It's such a compelling video! Doesn't really shock me; I've seen cats protect kids and I've seen cats take on dogs before, but it's pretty rare to have it all on film like that.

I was wondering about the dog, though. I'm not sure how I feel about the dog being "under observation..."

It's being observed for signs of rabies, I would guess. Apparently the dog has a history of going after kids on bikes, but it was also aggressive with the boy's mom when she tried to stop it from coming back for a second try, and with the animal control officers as well, so they have decided to put it down. The dog is only eight months old, and it sounds like the owners were already struggling to cope with it.

Which makes me sad, and yet I'm still so happy the cat came to the little boy's rescue. Why does life have to be so complicated?

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

My last cat made a regular habit of keeping dogs out of the yard. He seemed to enjoy chasing and intimidating dogs. Everyone at the veterinary hospital was terrified of him, and we never took him there in a carrier-- he would just sit on my lap and the longer the wait was the nastier he was in the exam room. 23 pounds and no fat, he was rather awesome, but a good cat anyway. I miss him.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I wonder what late show will get that cat first on there show, Growing up I saw a cat corned in a yard by a German shepherd. The cat destroyed the dog. The dog was bleeding all over from the cats claws.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

I saw this on the news - how great. There was a reason that cat followed that family home.