Dmitry Ukhin, 55, was reportedly searching for his cat who had been missing for two days when the unfortunate incident occurred in the Kirishi district of Russia‘s Leningrad region.
The pet owner is said to have been scratched on the leg by his cat after finding the feline and bringing it home.
Dmitry’s wife, Natalya, was not home at the time of the incident.
Dmitry contacted a neighbor after realizing the seriousness of his condition, informing them his life was in danger.
A police source shared with local media that Dmitry called emergency services at around 11 p.m.
When medical responders arrived at the scene, they reportedly found the 55-year-old had already passed away.
The police source said: “Around 11 p.m., a man called 112 to report that his friend was bleeding from his leg due to a torn vein.
“The doctors who arrived only confirmed the man’s death, which the police received a telephone message about.”
The unnamed neighbor who provided first aid to Dmitry claims the medical team took a long time to arrive. Natalya confirmed this information to local media, reports the Mirror.
She also described the cat, Styopka, as a generally harmless and kind animal that enjoyed wandering outdoors.
Dmitry reportedly suffered from diabetes and a blood clotting disorder, which rendered him particularly vulnerable to excessive bleeding.
Blood.co.uk says: “Blood clotting, also called coagulation, is an important process that reduces bleeding when we are injured. It happens whenever a blood vessel is damaged, whether the injury is a scratch on the skin or something more serious.
“Injury triggers a reaction in the blood vessel and activates platelets (specialized blood cell fragments) and clotting factors (specific proteins) in the blood, which work together to slow and stop the bleeding. A clot is formed over the damaged area, which the body will naturally dissolve when the injury has healed.”
The fate of Styopka remains unclear as local authorities conduct further investigations into the case.
Dmitry’s exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
