Cape Coral family says cat killed by pair of bald eagles

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A Cape Coral family says their pet cat was attacked and killed by a pair of bald eagles.

Tyson had been part of the Rivers family for 10 years.

“He would follow people around like a puppy dog. He was an awesome cat,” said Renada Rivers.

On Monday, Tyson, who is typically an indoor cat, ran out of the home.

“He usually doesn’t go very far. We just let him roam on the front porch where he usually stays,” said Rivers.

But Renada Rivers says that day, a pair of eagles had their eyes on Tyson.

“I saw the eagle swoop down out of the sky and attack something on the ground,” Rivers said.

Within minutes, Rivers says a group of vultures landed on the ground, outnumbering the eagles. When Rivers couldn’t find Tyson inside, she knew she had just watched the eagles kill the cat.

“I kind of think I was in denial. I was like ‘no, it can’t be the cat. He’s a big boy,'” said Rivers. “They pecked him a apart, basically. It’s not something I would wish on anybody seeing, it’s awful.”

Rivers is warning other pet owners to make sure they know where their pets are at all times.

“I had a complete breakdown. I was extremely emotional. I instantly felt guilty for not going out sooner,” said Rivers.

A spokeswoman for the City of Cape Coral says it’s rare for a bald eagle to attack a cat because they primarily eat fish. This is the first time she has heard of something like this happening.