Police probe mystery cat attack on young boy

A young boy in Limassol is recuperating after an attack by a Savannah cat, with police investigating how the wild animal ended up attacking the child outside an apartment where other kids were also attending a birthday party.

Local media said a number of children attending a birthday party on Sunday were playing in the foyer of an upper floor of an apartment building in Yermasogia when a Savannah cat emerged from a neighbor’s flat and attacked a 3-year-old boy.

The child sustained injuries to the head and was transported by his father to a private clinic where he reportedly received five stitches.

Police on Tuesday told Knews they were investigating possible negligence but declined to comment on specifics or speculate on additional violations.

Knews has learned that the boy, who was said to be recuperating after being released from the clinic, had gone to the birthday party with his parents and the incident took place outside the apartment where a young woman lived with her cat.

The circumstances under which the part-wild hybrid cat emerged from the apartment were not fully clear but police said the door had been shut prior to the incident. 

“Based on information obtained up until now, there has been no suggestion that indicates an act from outside had caused the incident,” a police official told Knews, adding the investigation was still ongoing.

Reports suggested the attack took place in the absence of the owner, who is said to be from a European country, while police stated that the woman was at home when the cat attacked the boy. Unverified reports in the media had previously identified the owner as a man from Russia.

Local officials told media they were trying to ascertain whether any registration or import violations had been committed by the owner of the hybrid breed, a cross between a Serval and a domestic cat, with police saying that portion of the investigation was being handled jointly with animal services.

Knews understands the owner had made arrangements to bring the cat from her country to Cyprus, where she resides.