Current:Home > ContactCharles H. Sloan-'Cougar' sighting in Tigard, Oregon was just a large house cat: Oregon Fish and Wildlife -MoneyBase
Charles H. Sloan-'Cougar' sighting in Tigard, Oregon was just a large house cat: Oregon Fish and Wildlife
NovaQuant View
Date:2025-04-08 22:29:55
Oregonians can Charles H. Sloanbreathe a sigh of relief, because what was thought to be a cougar sighting in the state has instead turned out to be a large house cat.
The state agency said that the "cougar" seen in Tigard, Oregon, a city about 10 miles southwest of Portland, on Nov. 16 was in fact, a house cat and was no cause for alarm.
"This happens more than you think," the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife posted on X, confirming the animal was not in fact a large, wild and dangerous predator.
In a grainy video of the cat posted on X, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the biggest indicator it was not a cougar was the animal's size compared to a nearby tree and compost or garbage bin. The fence, also seen in the video, is likely 6 feet tall, the agency said, which puts the cat at less than a foot tall in height.
Tigard has had confirmed cougar sightings in the past, the city's public works department posted on social media, but thankfully, last week's sighting was not one of them.
Watch:Video shows elk charge at Colorado couple: 'Felt like we were in an Indiana Jones film'
Where do cougars live in the U.S.?
While they were once found in all over the contiguous 48 U.S. states, breeding populations of cougars are now found in just 16 states, primarily in the Midwest and Western regions of the country, including Oregon. They are also found in Texas and Florida, according to the Cougar Fund.
They are classified as game species and can be hunted for sport in 13 states: Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas and North Dakota.
NPS:Hiker who was missing for more than a week at Big Bend National Park found alive
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
Ranking
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
Recommendation
Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
Could your smelly farts help science?
Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order