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Police probing the 'attempted murder' of an 82-year-old Japanese woman have reportedly said their prime suspect is a stray cat.

Bedridden Mayuko Matsumoto, who is also unable to speak, was found last Monday in her remote mountain home in southern Japan by her daughter.

Matsumoto had more than 20 cuts on her face and was later hospitalised.

"When we found her, blood covered everything above her chin," her daughter told Japanese broadcaster RKK.

(Image: EyeEm)

"Her face was soaked in blood. I didn't know what had happened."

Police were left baffled after finding no sign of a break-in at the home.

But after noticing that the cuts appeared to be from a claw, they considered the possibility of the scratches coming from a stray cat.

National broadcaster NHK reported: "Police are analysing a blood sample taken from the claw of the cat which might have scratched the victim."