Fox euthanized after attacking woman and cat in Great Falls

GREAT FALLS, Va. - A fox with rabies was euthanized Tuesday after attacking an elderly woman and a cat in Great Falls, about an hour apart of each other.

The first attack happened to a 71-year-old as she was taking a walk in a quiet, rural, Great Falls neighborhood. The fox attacked her lower legs, forearms, and hands.

The second attack happened about an hour later while Patricia Floreno was talking on her phone in her backyard. She looked towards the trash can and saw her cat Vita and the fox in a brawl. "So when I saw the blood I ran over and I kicked the fox a few times," Patricia explained.

The commotion alarmed her husband who came out to help.

"This animal was on a mission to bite, to bite something," said Alex Floreno.

Eventually, the Floreno's were able to lure the fox into a raccoon trap until animal protection officers arrived.

The attacks have left the locals on high alert and animal experts are warning that with this warm weather, there could be more.

The woman and Vita, the cat, will have to undergo weeks of vaccinations, but they are both expected to be ok.