A FAMILY’S pet cat has been blamed for suffocating a baby which died while sleeping in its pram.

The baby, who has not been named, died in the city of Zlatoust in south-central Russia's Chelyabinsk Oblast region.

2 A cat has been blamed for the death of a baby in Russia (stock image) Credit: Getty - Contributor

The one-month-old child had been left sleeping in its pram by its mother after she returned home from a walk.

While she was distracted, her pet cat jumped on the pram and settled down on the baby's face.

By the time she saw what had happened and moved the cat away, her baby was already dead.

Police have launched an investigation but initial inquiries suggest the child was suffocated by the cat.

2 The baby was from the Russian city of Zlatoust in the country's Chelyabinsk Oblast region Credit: Alamy

The tragic incident has sparked a debate on social media where netizen ‘Latyshskiy evrey’ said: "Even if a cat sits on a baby’s chest, there is a chance it can suffocate."

MOST READ IN WORLD NEWS Breaking MACHETE HORROR Two stabbed in machete 'terror attack’ near Charlie Hebdo office in Paris Exclusive 'NIGHTMARE' Terrified BA crew detained in 'prison camp' Covid quarantine in Hong Kong LASHED TO BITS Paedo collapses as he’s caned 52 times after being sentenced to 169 lashes ESCO-BUCKS! Pablo Escobar's nephew finds £14m in cash stashed in wall of drug lord's house SNAKES ALIVE Snake farm owner ‘pretended to adopt puppies before FEEDING THEM to serpents CREEPY CRAWLERS Dozens of horrifying 3ft-long robber crabs invade family's campsite BBQ

While ‘Eto naskolko zhe eta mamasha’ commented: "The baby’s mother left her child unattended?!

"What was she doing in the meantime? I doubt it was a cat, I think she is the one to blame but she is putting it on the cat."

Zlatoust is best known in Russia as one of the country's main centres of artistic engraving on metal knives and swords.