Bald Eagle’s Unusual Delivery: A Driver’s Bizarre Experience

Imagine this: a North Carolina driver had an incredibly wild experience when a bald eagle dropped a cat onto the road, crashing through his windshield in the process.

On Wednesday morning, around 8 a.m., Melissa Schlarb, 28, was commuting to work on Route 74 near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when the shocking incident occurred. She was caught off guard when a dead kitten fell from the sky and hit her car.

“Believe it or not, a bald eagle just dropped a cat through my windshield,” she explained to the 911 dispatcher, who couldn’t help but laugh, responding, “Okay, I honestly believe you.”

During her daily drive, Schlarb had noticed the bald eagle for the first time soaring above. “I drive that road every morning. But this time, I spotted a bald eagle coming from the distance. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’”

As she marveled at the sight, she soon realized the eagle was clutching something in its talons. Suddenly, the dead cat fell with great speed towards her vehicle. “I saw a cat in the passenger seat,” she recounted in disbelief. “My whole body just… it was like something exploded. There was glass everywhere, so of course, I slammed on the brakes.”

Two other drivers helped Schlarb pull over, and she quickly called 911.

Inquiring further, the dispatcher humorously asked, “Is the cat still alive?” To which Schlarb confirmed it was not. She then moved the unfortunate animal from her car to the roadside.

Reflecting on the incident, Schlarb said she would “definitely keep a close eye” on her kitten moving forward. It remains unclear if the cat had been alive before the incident. Wildlife expert Kendrick Weeks noted that eagles are capable of catching animals as large as cats but typically don’t target living ones unless they are easy to catch. “Scavenging is pretty routine for bald eagles,” he explained.