Sure, she can hit — but how’s her curveball?
Fans of Tara the hero cat will find out when she “throws” out the ceremonial first pitch at Tuesday’s home game of the Bakersfield Blaze, a minor league baseball team in California.
Tara became a kitty cause celebre after surveillance video of her hurling herself at a neighborhood dog attacking a little boy this week went viral. Four-year-old Jeremy Triantafilo was playing in his family’s driveway in Bakersfield when the dog ran up unexpectedly and mauled his leg.
Tara, a stray whom the Triantafilo’s adopted six years ago, sprang into action and chased off the attacker.
“I see my cat flying out of nowhere, onto this dog, and just remember trying to get my son and get the dog away and back in its yard,” mom Erica Triantafilo recalled Thursday on the TODAY show.
"I don't think that dog knew what hit him," laughed Roger Triantafilo.
Jeremy received 10 stitches for two lacerations to his calf. The dog, meanwhile, has been quarantined and will reportedly be euthanized within 10 days.
As for Tara, she’s sure to get a hero’s welcome at the Bakersfield Blaze game. The team, however, hasn’t said exactly how she’ll toss the ball — or whether it might be made of yarn.