The unnamed worker was completing his usual zoo duties, taking care of Marta and Kat, the zoo's 5-year-old female tigers, when one of them came at him with a paw through a mesh barricade, the Toledo (Ohio) Blade reported Monday.

Zoo officials said it was probably Marta's paw that reached past the boundary and tore at the zoo keeper's chest.

The incident took place early Sunday and the worker was released from the hospital in time to continue his afternoon plans outside the zoo, a spokesman said.