It was on the other side of one a.m. when the blood-curdling sound of a cat being attacked rang out.

Emilie Thurber, 22, said she awoke out of a sound sleep at her momsa国际传媒檚 place in Chilliwack Thursday night.

Without really thinking about it, she ran out into the street in her pyjamas and bare feet, never expecting the gruesome sight before her.

A pair of coyotes were tugging on either side of the beloved ginger and white cat, Gideon, in the middle of Watson Road. Teeth were attached.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檇 been asleep on the couch when I heard the cat scream and it got me up,sa国际传媒� Thurber remembered.

The bizarre scene was like a nightmare sa国际传媒� except she was definitely awake.

sa国际传媒淚t was like they were playing tug-of-war with him,sa国际传媒� said Thurber.

Without really thinking about it, she charged them.

sa国际传媒淭hey saw me running at them and they ran away,sa国际传媒� Thurber recounted.

The coyotes just dropped the cat, surprised.

sa国际传媒淚 think I scared them.sa国际传媒�

They then sprinted off into a field nearby.

But not before they inflicted a puncture wound behind the catsa国际传媒檚 ear and a laceration on the forehead that meant six stitches. Gideon broke two teeth and is missing a claw.

sa国际传媒淗e definitely put up a fight,sa国际传媒� Thurber said. sa国际传媒淗e must have chomped down on one of them. Hesa国际传媒檚 such a trooper.sa国际传媒�

Because of the vetsa国际传媒檚 concern about possible internal damage from the cat sa国际传媒渂eing rag-dolledsa国际传媒� by the coyotes they put in a drain tube on his neck.

When she found him, the cat was near done. Panting and severely injured.

Emiliesa国际传媒檚 mom, Lee Aubry is convinced the cat is pretty special. He was lost and found at her old address.

Now this.

Aubry said she was asleep through the whole ordeal that has injured and traumatized her five-year-old cat, Gideon. They recently moved from another part of Sardis, after she sold her home and moved to the south side.

sa国际传媒淓milie is my hero,sa国际传媒� Aubry told The Progress. sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 a pretty amazing kid. If she hadnsa国际传媒檛 been staying overnight when this happened, my cat would be dead.sa国际传媒�

The injuries were severe. Puncture wounds, lacerations, possible internal injuries. Emergency veterinary bills are around $1700 so far. They drove the poor cat to the 24-hour vet in Abbotsford.

But hesa国际传媒檚 alive.

In case anyone wants to suggest Gideonsa国际传媒檚 owner should have kept the cat indoors all the time, she said flat out that was impossible.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檒l keep the whole house awake all night if we donsa国际传媒檛 let him out,sa国际传媒� Aubry said. sa国际传媒淗e is part Maine Coone and he has a loud meow.sa国际传媒�

They donsa国际传媒檛 typically let him out roaming at night, but they were trying to acclimatize the relocated cat.

Of course, there are coyotes everywhere.

sa国际传媒淚 just didnsa国际传媒檛 think it would happen here,sa国际传媒� Aubry said.

Thurber said she was told by a vet tech sa国际传媒� after the fact sa国际传媒� that people who try to run and scoop up pets that are being attacked in situations like the one she faced, sometimes get attacked themselves by wildlife.

sa国际传媒淭hey will even jump up and snatch the animal back from you,sa国际传媒� Thurber said.

She said shesa国际传媒檚 glad she didnsa国际传媒檛 actually hear about that until she had rescued the cat.

sa国际传媒淚 would probably still have done it,sa国际传媒� Thurber said with a laugh.

sa国际传媒淚 think I would have taken the chance.sa国际传媒�

jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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