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‘You May Not Believe Me’: Driver Says Bald Eagle Dropped Cat Through Her Windshield on N.C. Highway

A driver on U.S. Route 74 in Swain County, N.C., reported that a cat carcass plunged through her passenger-side windshield after apparently being dropped by a bald eagle, shattering the glass. Another witness reportedly saw the cat fall; the animal was dead on the roadside. Wildlife officials say bald eagles often scavenge and can carry cat-sized animals, and they may drop prey due to a poor grip, harassment, or because the load is too heavy. Highway Patrol was sent to document the scene while investigators work to determine whether the cat was already dead when the eagle took it.

07:55 PM, 11/22/2025Environment
‘You May Not Believe Me’: Driver Says Bald Eagle Dropped Cat Through Her Windshield on N.C. Highway

A motorist on U.S. Route 74 in Swain County, North Carolina, told a 911 dispatcher that a cat carcass fell from the sky and struck the passenger side of her front windshield, shattering the glass. The incident occurred Wednesday morning near Bryson City, roughly 65 miles southwest of Asheville.

On the 911 call the driver said another nearby witness also saw the animal plunge from the air. “You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield,” she told the dispatcher, adding that the impact “absolutely shattered” the glass.

Dispatcher: “Okay. I do believe you, honestly.” (laughs)

After confirming the caller’s location, the dispatcher said she would send the Highway Patrol to document the scene and asked whether the cat was still alive. The driver confirmed the animal was deceased and lying at the side of the road, not inside the vehicle.

What wildlife officials say

Kendrick Weeks of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said the eagle may have picked up a cat that was already dead, noting that bald eagles commonly scavenge and can carry animals about the size of a cat. “It is much harder for them to take a live cat than a dead cat,” Weeks said.

Weeks also explained several reasons a raptor might drop prey: a poor grip, the prey struggling or biting, harassment from other birds, or the prey becoming too heavy to carry. While some raptors sometimes drop prey to kill it, Weeks said that behavior is uncommon for bald eagles.

Investigators were dispatched to file a report. It remains unclear whether the cat slipped from the eagle’s talons accidentally or was released intentionally.

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