Cat saves boy from dog attack: YouTube video shows family pet rescuing child

The dog ripped into the boy's leg, but was promptly chased away by a cat

The cat sees of the dog after the attack in California

A brave feline has proven that cats can be just as loyal as man's best friend, by saving its young owner from a dog attack on a California street on Tuesday.

In the footage entitled My cat saved my son, which appears to have been shot by a CCTV camera, a young boy is seen riding his bike on a driveway next to a parked car.

A shot taken from a different angle then shows a sandy-coloured dog trot into view on the opposite side of the stationary vehicle, and run up to the child.

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Suddenly, the animal viciously bites into the boy’s leg and drags him from his bike onto the tarmac.

Within seconds, the boy’s cat hurtles towards the dog and chases it away, while the boy’s mother tends to her son.

Having dealt with the dog, the cat returns to the boy, and the family flees the scene.

At the end of the footage, the boy's father assures viewers that his son is now safe and well - and shares a grisly photo of the boy's wound which required stitches.

Bakersfield police said the attacking dog, identified as an 8-month-old Labrador-Chow mix, had been surrendered by its owner's family after the Tuesday afternoon attack and was in quarantine and would ultimately be euthanized.

Police spokesman Sergeant Joseph Grubbs said the dog's owners, who live in the same neighborhood as the boy, said the dog did not like children or bicycles. He did not identify the owner by name.

Additional reporting by Reuters