A witness reported seeing the adult-sized cat fall from the sky as it struggled in the talons of a bald eagle, the N.C. Highway Patrol says.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol photo
A woman on her way to work at a bank was left in disbelief when a cat fell out of the sky, crashed through her windshield and shot through the car, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
The cat, which did not survive, came to a stop when it hit the back window of the vehicle, officials say.
It happened around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, on U.S. 74 near Bryson City, and the driver was not injured.
A witness reported the adult-sized cat was seen “fighting” in the air with a bald eagle just before it fell, Trooper Kosal Thach told the Charlotte Observer.
The vehicle was going around 55 mph when the cat made impact, and a photo shows it punched out nearly half the windshield on the passenger side.
The car had to be towed from the scene and the driver got a ride to work, Thach said.
As for the eagle, it left before Thach arrived.
Bryson City is known as one of the gateways into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the region is a natural home to bald eagles. They are the largest bird of prey species in North America, reaching 13 pounds with a wingspan of eight feet, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission says.
Bryson City is about a 180-mile drive west from Charlotte.
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 9:16 AM.
Mark Price
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