House cat protects family from intruder
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis woman is calling her house cat a hero for protecting her family from a man trying to break into her home on the city’s southeast side.
The woman told police she was watching television in her living room when she heard someone at her front door.
It happened early Wednesday morning on Finley Avenue near Walker Avenue.
Cynthia Kootz told 24-Hour News 8 she got Binky about six years ago. She described him as loyal — her best friend and protector.
She said the man pushed open the screen window, and that’s when Binky came out of nowhere and attacked him twice.
“He never attacked anybody before and hurt them, but I’m glad he did that night,” she said.
On a beautiful Thursday afternoon, you can find Binky sitting on the front window sill.
“He’s my baby; he’s rotten and he’s totally spoiled. He gets his way at everything,” she said.
Koontz said she couldn’t believe what he did for her the other night. It was around 12:30 a.m. when Kootz said she heard a man at her front door.
“Well, I got up and it was a bald-headed man, and I never seen him before in my life, wanting in,” she said. “I said ‘No you’re not going to get in here’; ‘Well, I got to get in, they’re trying to kill me’ [he said]. I said, ‘I don’t care; how I know you’re not going to knock me in the head?’”
Kootz said the man began kicking and screaming.
“I tried to call the police at first, but they put me on hold, and I said, ‘Well this ain’t going to work,’” she said. “Well, then the guy says, ‘Well I’m getting in whether anybody likes it or not,’ so I’m calling and trying to get a hold of the police department still had me on hold.”
Kootz said the man pushed open the screen window and reached for the door handle.
“Binky went after him, and I think Binky just bit him once then because Binky turned around and ran off,” she said. “Well, I thought he ran into the house.”
But Binky, who is declawed, didn’t go very far. Kootz said the man tried reaching for the door handle again.
“Well, next thing I knew Binky took off again, and this time he tore the guy’s hand and arm up,” he said. “This time he held onto that guy; all I seen was fur going up.”
Police arrived on scene and arrested 41-year-old Earl Scruggs.
“They’ve been on the hunt for him for the past hour, going through the neighborhood trying to get into other people’s houses,” she said.
Kootz said she wants to share a message with other cat owners.
“Don’t make your cat mean. Don’t hurt them to get them mean; treat them like a normal cat. In the end, the cat will take up to you. No matter what he’ll be loyal to you,” she said.
According to court records, the suspect was charged with residential entry, a level 6 felony. Kootz said police had to call for an ambulance because of his injuries.