Boy, 8, almost mauled to death by a cougar that leapt from behind and clamped its jaws around his head on camping trip
A SCHOOLBOY was almost mauled to death by a cougar that leapt at him from behind and clamped its jaws round his head on a camping trip.
The eight-year-old was reportedly playing with other children under the supervision of a close family friend at a site in Alberta, Canada, when the animal pounced.
Witnesses say the cougar bit down on the skull of little Cason Feuser in a bloody attempt to break his neck during the horrific incident in late July.
The animal was allegedly so large compared to the young boy that his whole head was almost in the beast's mouth.
It is believed Cason had only survived because of the family's quick-thinking friend Alishea Morrison, 40, who grabbed a large rock and dropped it on the cougar's head - scaring it enough to let go of the boy and flee.
Cason's parents were an eight-hour drive away in nearby Dawson Creek for work when they got the heart-stopping call that he had been attacked by the big cat.
Read more on world news
Parents Chay and Corey Feuser, both 37, were then forced to hop on a plane to get to their son who was airlifted to hospital for emergency life-saving surgery.
Despite suffering a broken jaw and severe puncture wounds on his head, face and neck, Chay says Cason made a “miraculous” full recovery.
The mum-of-three has now shared horrifying photos of her son's injuries to warn other campers to be wary and alert of large wildlife.
Alishea, who is a nurse, said: "I was sitting around in the morning watching the kids playing at the river trying to collect frogs when my son Morgan - a friend of Cason - turned around to ask Cason how he was doing and started to scream.
Most read in News
"Then Cason's sister Addisyn looked back and screamed 'cougar' and that's when I jumped up and came around behind Cason and the cougar and I saw Cason within the cougar's jaws.
"The cougar tried to pull him up towards the camp site as all the kids were running towards the trailer.
"I looked at the cougar and reacted how any mum would and I grabbed a rock and hit the cougar in the head - it took off towards the camper and then my dog Jersey chased it away from the kids.
"I picked Cason up and ran with him into the trailer while I was trying to get my cell phone out where I could get service.
"The ambulance came 26 minutes later and the whole time I was very fearful that Cason was going to die from his injuries as they were quite significant."
Alishea had taken a photo of the idyllic riverside scene where Cason – along with six other children - were playing just minutes before the cougar attacked.
Chay, said: "She saw the cougar jolt Cason to try and break his neck so she was sure if she had been a second longer the cougar would've been on its way into the woods with him.
"Then she scooped Cason up and started running back to the trailer. She went into survival mode to stop the bleeding and call 911.”
The schoolboy was then airlifted to Stollery Children's Hospital, in Edmonton, Alberta, where he would undergo a three-hour operation to close the wounds on his head and neck.
Meanwhile his parents took an emergency one-hour flight and made it to the hospital just in time to see him before surgery.
'MIRACULOUS' RECOVERY
Doctors informed the parents that it was a “miracle” Cason survived the attack as the cougar's bite missed his airway and the major artery in his neck by millimetres.
He then spent just two nights in hospital before being sent home to continue his recovery away from the increased risk of infection.
Three months later and Cason is now said to be continuing to heal well from the attack with the help of massage and silicone wrap treatments on his scars, the worst of which goes from ear to ear under his chin.
Chay now hopes to warn other campers to be extra aware of their surroundings and have a plan of action ready in case they encounter a cougar.
Chay said: "Everyone's aware of cougars but in busy areas like that where there's not a lot of big trees Alishea thought she was safe.
"If she would've been any further away it would've been a different story. She had a gun in the trailer but there was no time.
"Anyone camping in the wild needs to be ultra aware and stay close to those kiddos."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
It is believed that the cougar was subsequently tracked down and euthanized not far from where the attack took place.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife were contacted for comment.
