Oh, the Bobcatty Irony ...

For those who are not familiar with Cub Scouts, the first rank a Cub Scout must achieve is that of 'Bobcat'. That said, after decades and millions of Cub Scouts wearing BobCat badges upon their shirts, the storied animals finally have their revenge ...

A bobcat that bit and clawed a Cub Scout and an elderly man in separate attacks over the weekend in Citrus County turned out to be rabid, health officials said today.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, the bobcat first attacked 10-year-old Johnathon Knecht, a scout from Bradenton who was with his troop Saturday in the Withlacoochee State Forest.

"We've been in the woods most of our lives," Johnathon's mom, Betty, said this morning. "We've come across animals but never one that attacked any of us."

She was with the troop Saturday, getting ready to explore some caves in the forest's Mutual Mines area about 65 miles north of Tampa.

"As we were preparing for our trip, all of a sudden, some boys came screaming, saying that Johnathon had been attacked by bobcat. Yeah, it happened. He got some good cuts and scrapes. He came out of it pretty good."

She said that her son was doing well, even though he was a little apprehensive about the shots. "At first, they scared him," she said. "When he found out it would be in his arms, well, he's handling it very good."

"He only had superficial wounds," the boy's grandfather, Bill Knecht of Bradenton, said. "We were worried more about his not wanting to go out camping or hiking or scouting, but he seems to have put it behind him."

Hey Grandpa ... the sooner you teach your outdoors loving Grandkids that building stronger, taller, thicker walls, staying indoors, or possibly going underground altogether, the better off your Cub Scout Grandson will be ... that goes for the rest of you scouts out there as well ... Tiger Cubs, Boy Scouts ... all of you ...