Sorry to hear about the loss of your cat. A week and a half ago, I had put
out the uh..... range cattle .... food,
and the darn deer ate it, and then I threw out some sliced apples for the uh... range cattle,
and the darn deer ate those too, so after they left, I put some uh...... bird feed out for the uh.....local wild birds,
and the darn four o clock shift turkeys came in and ate that. I still haven't had any range cattle get any food yet, but i will keep trying. So I had a roast in the oven, and I looked out of the kitchen window, and I see a doe standing, there, and I got close to the window, and she backed a little into the woods, and I saw that she was a new one, so I looked to see where the turkeys went, and they were gone, and then I saw something move by my porch deck, and I thought it was a turkey, and then I saw the color, and thought oh, one of the fawns, then I saw it wasn't moving right, and thought uh oh, and then for sure, the tail flicked up, and I thought about grabbing my shotgun, but didn't know for sure how the neighbors would react to it, so I just ran out onto the deck, and stomped on the deck, clapped my hands, and yelled at it, and it took off like a bat out of hell! It was a pretty good sized one, and very healthy looking, for the small amount of time I got to look at it. There were 14 young turkeys in one of the flocks that come up to feed, and now there are 12. I thought that maybe the eagles, or coyotes had gotten them, but now I am wondering if it was the lion. I went over and talked to one of my neighbors, and told him, and told him to be careful of his young dog, but it was with his wife at their Grand kids. I told the neighbor behind me, and she said that she was coming home from Missoula, when she finally got cell service, and got a msg from someone, saying that there was a big lion, sitting in her driveway, just watching traffic go by. My neighbor across the street from me, said they were sitting on their porch, around four, which is when this bugger was here, and they watched a big one walk just as casually as can be down the creek bank behind their house, heading towards a neighbors ranch. Where I live there are a lot of BIG ones, in the area. My Buddy, and his friends, hunt them just up the road. I was talking to a guy in the restaurant, and told him about the lion, and he said that they have been seen in town. There are a lot of deer in town, and they are obnoxious as can be. I was driving down town, and I looked over to see two does eating about two to three feet from the train tracks, when a train comes along and blows his horn, and they just continue eating! Then I look in front of me and here is an eight point buck just taking his sweet time crossing the road, so after I let him go on across, and almost to the side walk, I pull up along side of him, and honk my horn, and he just turns his head, and gives me a look as if to say, Whatever! Then he just takes his sweet time walking on to the side walk. I have seen a doe window shopping at night! She was just walking along the sidewalk, and would stop in front of the stores, and look in the window, and then on to the next one, and finally to a vacant lot, to eat the crab apples. So I would not doubt the lions being seen in town. They will definitely get house hold pets if they have the chance. Again sorry for the loss of your cat, and I hope you get the big one. I told my neighbors that if they hear a shotgun blast, not to pay any attention to it. They told me the same.
Wayne
