Cougar Sighting

[GutshotApe]

About 10 days ago an old friend and former next-door-neighbor from Eugene brought his 22-yr-old orange cat named Morris out to my place in a pet carrier. The old cat had cancer and several large tumors...and had begun doing #1 :shocked: , #2 :shocked: and #3 :shocked: in the house daily, was off its feed, and apparently in pain...or discomfort. So, we took a 12-gauge shotgun and went down the county road about a mile and, at a wide spot where there is an old log landing, we let the cat out of the carrier and dispatched it with a well-placed shot. It didn't know what was happening...and didn't feel a thing. Its obvious suffering ended...and my buddy saved a $75 vet bill.

This afternoon about 5 PM I was driving along that stretch of road, thru the woods, and came to the wide spot...and a large adult cougar ran from the weeds at the exact spot where Morris died, and crossed the road 40' in front of my car. Fast, smooth, in about 2 jumps...and into the woods. Tawny coat, black tipped tail...a big cat in its prime.

[Reelentless]

That wasn't the cat pictured in that other post, was it?

[salmurai]

WOW!! Reincarnation!! I'd be REALLY CAREFUL in the woods if I were you! :shocked:

[Stratocaster]

Maybe that was its way of saying thank you for putting it out of its misery.

[wootersen]

Had something similar happen earlier this year.

I was camping at one of my favorite spots, reading a good book, and I look up, only to see a male cougar looking right at me about twenty feet away. I was kinda stuck in my chair for a minute, not wanting to startle the kitty. Finally got up and went to the cab to get the .357. Felt a lot better after that. He got scared and took off up the hill. He watched me for a while. When I leaned into the cab of the pickup to get the camera, he disappeared.

I've never seen one in the wild that close before. It was an impressive creature. It never made a sound the whole time. Even while running away up the hill, he was totally silent. Now I carry my gun holstered at all times while camping. I consider myself lucky.

[deschutes2]

Great Story! Makes you wonder how many times you actually didn't see the cat that was there watching you. With all the hoopla about shrinking wilderness, lack of healthy forests, etc., we must be doing something right because cougar numbers appear to be on the rise. While unnerving, its still really great to see them if you are so lucky. Just for info, I think there is only 1 or 2 documented cougar attacks in the state of Oregon...

[steelhead22]

OK, here's mine. I'm hunting with a couple of my dads friends a few years ago over by the Abiqua Creek Basin. I think I was about 17 or so. So, we're still hunting our way to our stand for the evening hunt. When my dad's buddy turns around to tell me something. Except when he turns, he's looking behind me, and whispers "Don't move." "DON"T MOVE!!!!" I'm thinkin'. He raises his rifle and says, "OK, turn and look behind you really slowly, over by that downed log." So I do, and what do ya' know, the biggest cat I've ever seen in my life. It's just crouch down about 20-25 feet behind me, it's tail in the air twitching back and forth. Kind of a weird feeling, being the hunter and the hunted at the same time.

[fishisabonus]

I got chills when I read your story! What a wonderful coincidence to assure you your old orange kitty is in a better place.

.22 works better and leaves the body in better shape. I hate to kill my pets :depressed:

[fishisabonus]

Keta, you are too funny. My Dad always used a 357. I knew when he went to leave and then came back in the house with "that look" on his face, not saying a word, headed upstairs then back down with the gun..... one of the cats was trying to get warm on the engine again. I would instantly be in tears and looking for my favorite one.

[jocose]

GO COUGS :smile: