'We're in shock' - Horror cat attack in Ballymahon leaves 3 year-old Longford girl scarred

A Longford mother has spoken out following the vicious attack on her three year-old daughter by a cat in Ballymahon last week which left her "scarred" and "terrified to leave the house".

Elena Mikova, who has been living in Ballymahon for almost a year with her partner and two daughters, said the attack from the cat "came out of nowhere" at around 4:30pm on Saturday, and left her daughter and her friend "with nightmares".

"There was a cat on the street, and the few local kids who were out playing went over and were petting it," Elena recalled.

"I went outside to tell my three year-old daughter not to touch the cat, as we didn't know whose cat it was. The cat then went under one of the cars, and my daughter and her friend were meowing as they walked by.

"The cat then jumped out from under the car and straight into her face, and badly scratched her," Elena said.

The cat managed to seriously injure the 3 year old, and Elena had to rush her child to hospital. "We had to go to A&E, where they dressed the wounds and cleaned her face. We were then sent to a plastic surgeon in Dublin on Sunday morning to get her lip stitched."

Following the attack, Elena has since been seeking the cat and its owner, but to no avail. 

"We're looking for the cat. But nobody came forward as the owner, nobody apologised for anything. I called the gardaí, I called the local vet, I called the ISPCA, and nothing has changed."

"Ballymahon is a quiet and nice place, and the neighbours are lovely as well. We're in shock, they all said nothing like this has happened before," Elena explained.

Elena, who wishes to warn the local area and enquire to the owner about the safety of the cat, says the lack of help is "not fair".

"On Thursday morning I visited Gardaí for the second time, and they told me if I find the cat they can pick it up from there. I told them I am home with my three year-old daughter who’s afraid to go outside, I can’t head out and look for the cat."

Elena added that the Gardaí have clarified they cannot help unless she finds the cat. "They said to me, if that was a dog or a horse or a cow, we could do something. But a cat, they're wild animals. It was surprising," she said.

Elena's daughter is thankfully recovering, but has been left shaken by the vicious assault. 

"She’s ok now, she’s home, but she’s afraid to go outside. Her face is healing but it has scarred her. Her friend who was with her, who’s four years old, is apparently having nightmares about it and is afraid to go outside as well," Elena said.

The mother of two is still seeking justice for her daughter and fears for the safety of the local area unless the cat is found.

"I would just like to know someone will be responsible for this. I need someone to say, look, there is a dangerous cat, don’t leave food out for them.

"I knocked on everybody's door and I asked them to not leave cat food outside, as it is kitten season and they're coming from all around the town. That's not okay though, because there's so many kids playing outside, and that horrible attack happened in the afternoon at a time when kids are out playing."

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