Alaska town's feline mayor mauled by dog

TALKEETNA, Alaska, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- The 16-year mayor of an Alaska town, a cat named Stubbs, suffered serious injuries in an encounter with a local dog, officials said.

Mayor Stubbs, who rose to power as a kitten in Talkeetna 16 years ago via a write-in campaign organized by residents unhappy with the human candidates for mayor, suffered a punctured lung, a fractured sternum and a 5-inch gash in his side when he was attacked by a dog Saturday night, CNN reported Wednesday.

Lauri Stec, Stubbs' owner, said the cat was breathing on its own Tuesday for the first time since the attack.

"He had a big gash on his side about 4-5 inches long and once we got him to the vet we found out the gash went down to his organs," Stec said. "Right now is a crucial time cause he's heavily sedated on pain meds. He's in a lot of pain."

Stec said Stubbs' vet bills are approaching $2,000.