Dog attacks boy, cat attacks dog, world cheers

By Theo Douglas, The Bakersfield Californian

Thursday, May 15, 2014 | 11:12 a.m.

A 4-year-old southwest Bakersfield boy with a fondness for Spider-Man gained a new role model when the family cat Tara attacked a dog that was biting him and chased it away.

Preschooler Jeremy Triantafilo was walking his bike up the family driveway Tuesday afternoon when a neighbor's dog darted toward him from behind an SUV and bit him on the left calf, overturning both the bike and boy.

As the dog, reportedly an 8-month-old male Labrador-Chow mix, began dragging Jeremy by the leg down his own driveway, Tara sprang into action.

Seemingly out of nowhere Tara hurled herself at the dog, making it release Jeremy and scurry off.

Then 6-year-old cat chased the dog out of the yard before bounding back to her young charge's side.

Jeremy's mom and grandmother took him to an urgent care center where he received 10 stitches, an antibiotic shot and oral antibiotics. He also got the rest of the week off from school.

His mother, Erica Triantafilo, was also bitten on her left calf when she chased the dog to its home. She received a tetanus booster shot but did not need stitches.

This was Tara's first real fight, according to Jeremy's mom, who was just a few feet away watering a palm when the attack began. The entire sequence was captured on the home security camera.

She said the former stray is normally — wait for it — a real pussycat.

"My cat, I have no idea where she was prior, honestly through the heat of it, I have no idea where she went after. Full lion safari moment," said Triantafilo, who also has 2-year-old twin boys, Carson and Connor. They were in the house when the attack occurred.

All three boys treat Tara about the way you'd expect, their mom said.

"My kids are absolutely awful to her. They tug on her tail, they pull on her ears, they try to lift her up and carry her around — which obviously doesn't work for a 2-year-old quite as well," said Triantafilo.

"I think they've sat on her, they've jumped on her and she just looks at them with that annoyed cat look that all cats have and ... takes it. She really is the most amazing cat."

The dog's owners voluntarily surrendered it to the City of Bakersfield Animal Care Center, according to director Julie Johnson.

Bakersfield police spokesman Sgt. Joe Grubbs said the dog will be quarantined for 10 days and subsequently put down.

The dog's owners could not be reached for comment Wednesday.