SAN MANUEL, Ariz. — **The video in the player above may be disturbing to some people. Viewer discretion is advised.**
The bobcat seen lounging on a dog bed inside an Arizona home may have attacked one of the dogs living there before leaving.
Nikola Zovko, who took the photos of the bobcat, said his 10-year-old Chihuahua-Dachshund Squeakers was severely hurt by the bobcat.
“He's very fortunate to have survived,” Zovko told 12News.
On Monday, Zovko said he walked into his San Manuel, Ariz. home and came across what he thought was a house cat lying on one of his dog's beds. When he got closer, he quickly realized it was a bobcat.
"Freaked me out a little bit," he said.
While the critter looked relaxed, Zovko said he didn't receive a warm welcome from the bobcat.
"He just looked at me and started growling," Zovko said. "Which is a little unnerving."
Zovko said he grabbed his pets, put them in other rooms, and called Arizona Game and Fish while opening all the doors of his home, hoping the bobcat would leave on his own.
He didn't.
"Just doing what cats do," Zovko said. "He was sitting there cleaning himself and licking himself."
After about 45 minutes, Zovko noticed his furry guest was gone. As he checked on his dogs and cats, he saw his dog Squeakers was missing.
He checked the house and his yard but couldn't find him. On Tuesday, when Zovko returned from work, he found Squeakers in his front yard and not in good shape.
"He was pretty torn up," Zovko said. "There were some deep lacerations."
Rushing his dog to the Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson clinic for emergency surgery that lasted hours. Zovko said Squeakers received several stitches and drains from the attack. While his dog is doing better now, Squeakers still has a long road to recovery.
"As everybody knows, if your dog's tail is not wagging, then they're not in the best of spirits, so his tail is still tucked between his legs," Zovko said.
At this time, Squeakers is being quarantined inside the home to ensure he doesn't have rabies. Zovko said Squeakers is current on his vaccinations and additional surgeries are unnecessary.
Zovko hopes his dog gets better soon and the bobcat doesn't return for another visit.
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