Bald Eagle Wrecks Motorist's Windshield With A Dead Cat In Bizarre Scene
By Favour Adegoke on November 21, 2025 at 8:30 PM EST
A North Carolina motorist phoned 911 to report an unbelievable incident that saw a dead cat crash into her windshield after it was dropped from heights by a bald eagle.
Social media users have since mourned the cat but also decried how predators like bald eagles and Coyotes have grown in their numbers in the area.
Just recently, the city's highway patrol reported that a driver was killed while trying to dodge a dead Coyote on the road.
Dead Cat Dropped By Bald Eagle Shatters Motorist's Windshield
It was supposed to be a routine drive for a North Carolina motorist along the U.S. Route 74 near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Wednesday morning.
The unidentified driver was traveling in Swain County when a bizarre object came crashing through the passenger side of her front windshield, only to discover it was the carcass of a dead cat.
The driver then called 911 and explained what had just happened, telling the dispatcher that a bald eagle dropped the dead animal and it shattered her windshield, but thankfully, she wasn't hurt.
"You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield," the driver said, per AP News. "It absolutely shattered my windshield."
Dispatcher Struggles To Grasp Situation
The incredible 911 call left the dispatcher seemingly astonished, but they tried to calm and reassure the distressed caller, saying, "OK. I do believe you, honestly."
Unconvinced, the driver shared that another driver saw the cat drop, saying, "He's like, 'That is the craziest thing I've ever seen.' I'm like, 'Really?'"
The dispatcher then offered to console the driver, saying, "Oh my goodness. Let's see. I've heard crazier."
"Well, that's terrifying," the caller reportedly said, prompting the dispatcher to respond with nervous laughter, "Yeah."
After confirming the driver's location, the dispatcher noted that she would send the highway patrol to assess the situation.
"Another question," the dispatcher said, before asking, "Is the cat still alive?"
In response, the caller noted that the cat was dead and not in her car.
North Carolina's Bald Eagles' Population Has Grown
It's not uncommon to see dead animals being dropped from the sky, especially in a place like North Carolina.
According to AP News, the city's Western Wildlife Diversity Program supervisor for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Kendrick Weeks, explained that the dead cat could have been a roadside kill scavenged by eagles.
"But they can take animals the size of a cat," he said. "It is much harder for them to take a live cat than a dead cat. They usually don't prey on something they don't find palatable. And, scavenging is a common behavior in bald eagles."
Bald eagles are native to North Carolina and most of North America, with Weeks telling the news outlet that their population has grown significantly and there are currently more than 200 nesting pairs.
Social Media Users Express Concern Over The Increase In The Number Of Bald Eagles And Other Predators
Many netizens shared their takes on the recent incident, decrying how predators have grown widespread in their area and how many pets are missing.
"This sadly happens in my neighborhood somewhat regularly. Hawks and eagles are opportunistic with small dogs, cats, and other small wildlife," a Reddit user said.
Another noted, "Yep. We have a lot of eagles, hawks, and coyotes in our neighborhood. And coincidentally, a lot of missing cat posters."
A third commenter wrote, "Very sad for the cat, but that's another reason to keep them inside."
Man Dies After Trying To Maneuver Dead Coyote
Before the bald eagle situation, the city made headlines recently for yet another motorist-animal-related incident.
The North Carolina highway patrol announced that a driver suffered a fatal accident on the road as they faced the choice of either driving around or over a dead coyote.
The incident occurred just before 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 13, near Riegelwood in Columbus County.
Authorities initially proposed that the driver, 55-year-old Neil William Perry, had crashed after hitting the coyote, but further investigation revealed that the animal was already dead. Perry died at the spot, while the predator was located not far away.
"It appears the driver swerved to keep from hitting the coyote, lost control, went across the center lane, struck a ditch on the left side of the roadway, and hit a tree," the highway patrol said, per reports.
An expert warned that the accident occurred in a rural area where Coyotes roam about easily, posing a greater threat to motorists.
