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Man alleges bobcat attack; condo owner says it was housecat

January 06, 2018
Christine Lee holds her long-haired house cat, Calli, in her condominium in downtown Tampa, Florida on Friday. In a lawsuit, a contractor alleges that he was attacked by a bobcat while working in the condo. - AP
Christine Lee holds her long-haired house cat, Calli, in her condominium in downtown Tampa, Florida on Friday. In a lawsuit, a contractor alleges that he was attacked by a bobcat while working in the condo. - AP



TAMPA, Fla. - A Florida contractor says he was attacked by a bobcat inside a woman's condo, but the animal's owner says her feline is no predator, just a 4.5-kg domestic longhair kitty named Calli. The contractor, Marcos Hernandez, filed a lawsuit in Tampa on Dec. 19, alleging condo owner Christine Lee illegally kept a bobcat inside her unit. He said a bobcat scratched him on May 16, causing serious injuries after he entered the condo to conduct a fire safety inspection. Hernandez was in the condo alone, Lee said, something that shouldn't have happened. She said an employee from the building was supposed to accompany him inside. "This has gotten so blown out of proportion, it's ridiculous," Lee said. According to the lawsuit, Hernandez said he was attacked by an unleashed bobcat and suffered permanent injuries. He's seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages. Hernandez said Lee had a duty to provide a safe environment and failed to warn him about the bobcat. Lee said that's nonsense. She only has a fluffy, tortoiseshell-colored housecat and a sleeker black cat named Max. She doesn't know which cat may have scratched Hernandez, but Max's color would likely rule him out. She has not yet retained an attorney. "I'm not denying he got scratched, what he was doing to get scratched, I don't know," she said, adding that when she arrived home that day, Calli was "cowering and scared." Max was underneath her bed. Calli, who is 3 1/2, is friendly, Lee said. But "just like any animal, she is guarded. If they feel threatened, they may attack, scratch or bite." - AP


January 06, 2018
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