Dogs are usually ones to chase cats, but this dog met the one cat it couldn’t chase off. When you’re faced with a predatory cat more than twice your size, there’s not much you can do.
Erin Wilson was going for a hike with her dog when a mountain lion attacked them.
The 24-year-old woman was going for a hike in the forested areas of Northwestern California. Of course, California is a big place with lots of various terrain. It may have big, busy urban areas. But a lot of animals call California their home too.
Just a few of the wild animals you might find there include coyotes, bears, snakes, and of course, the cougar. Also known as the mountain lion.
Erin and her dog, Eva, left their pickup and went down the trail towards the river.
“We got there. And within like a minute or two of arriving, it was like attacking us.”
Weighing around 132 pounds, a mountain lion is no cat that you’d want to tussle with. These cats have powerful forearms and canines that regularly pierce the hide of deer and sheep.
When the cat attacked the pair, Erin screamed for Eva.
The dog then staked her life for Erin and faced the mountain lion. She was fighting an opponent several whole weight classes above her. One that regularly takes down larger and more dangerous animals.
The cat overpowered Eva with little trouble, and clamped down on the dog’s head.
Now, it was Erin’s turn to help Eva. Erin tried punching, bashing with a rock, and gouging at the eyes. None of this was working.
She ran to grab the crowbar that was in her car.
Desperate to save Eva from a grim fate, Erin ran towards the road and signaled at cars for help as well.
One of the cars did stop to help, and Erin told the whole story.
The driver who stopped was a woman named Shannon. Erin told her to grab anything she could arm herself with and help free the dog.
Now with backup, Erin returned and the two began wailing on the cat while screaming.
“Eventually it just let go. I think from us just being so persistent and aggressive about it all.” – said Erin
The encounter with the predatory cat lasted 15 minutes or so. Though Erin says it felt like forever.
But that wasn’t the end of it all. Eva was still gravely wounded and needed emergency care fast.
Eva got up and ran into the truck at first, but this was no sign that she was okay. Erin knew the extent of the dog’s injuries and wasted no time.
After a thank you and goodbye to Shannon, Erin got in her car and drove Eva to the vet without any regard for traffic laws.
I can’t say I blame her. Her dog was a bloody mess. It was when Eva began convulsing that Erin truly began to cry and panic.
“She held on for me and I was begging her the whole time, “Just stay with me dog. Just stay with me. I love you and I can’t live without you.”
Eva held on for Erin, and the pair made it to a vet eventually. They began treating Eva and made sure she’d be okay.
They both made it, thankfully. But that encounter left them shaken. Erin even fought back tears as she told the story to Sacramento Bee. When your best friend’s life is on the line, it’s only natural to panic and cry.
At least now, the pair can go back to living peacefully as dog and owner. I’m guessing they’re way more cautious near trails and woods now.
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