"It depends on the individual, but if a big cat had escaped it only has a slim chance of survival, " he said.

BBC: News | UK | Home Counties puma alert

They are offered every possible medical intervention, including quadruple-bypass surgery and dialysis (for Olimpia, a grandmother with a slim chance of survival) and bariatric surgery (for Marta, a younger family member who can't lose a pound on her own).

WSJ: Book Review: Twelve Patients