Trespassing Florida teen mauled by cougar

NORTH MIAMI, Fla., Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Firefighters say a teenage girl was taken to a hospital after being mauled by a cougar kept at a home in North Miami, Fla.

Police say the cougar, named Chaos, pounced on the 16-year-old girl after she entered the home Saturday with a male companion who knew the owner and had a key to the residence.

Neighbors told The Miami Herald they suspected 21-year-old Anthony Zitnick was trying to impress the girl by showing off Chaos, who was kept in the home of Alan Rigerman.

Zitnick, who did yard work for Rigerman, was arrested after a neighbor heard the commotion and managed to kick and punch Chaos away from the victim.

The girl was bitten on the head but was lucky in that the 4-year-old cat had been declawed. Her condition was not known Sunday.

Rigerman, who was out of town at the time, said he had not given Zitnick permission to be in his house.