"I believe him, but it was most likley an escaped or a released pet."
Maybe so, crossed my mind, an escaped pet trying to play with him rather than attacking him. Would scare the heck out of you regardless. The damage to the bill of the hat, though? If that was a lions paw, his face should have been shredded. And the comment that it's breath smelled like dead rabbits -- really? Just a little odd.