Paramedics arrived at the plant in the rough Mexico City neighborhood of Iztapalapa while the man was still alive but they could not get past the animals to treat him.

The two big cats, which had separate quarters of a big cage but came together to eat, were according to reports kept by the plant's owner as pets and in good condition.

After the attack, which left scraps of bloodstained clothing on the floor of the cage, the animals were sedated and the tiger's jaws tied around a chunk of wood.