I saw a cougar August 9, 2009. I do not have pictures of the cat - just pictures of the fur left behind and drag marks up the hillside. Scat that I found a few days later was washed away by heavy rainfall by the time I was able to grab my camera. I found out a neighbor had seen a large cat a year ago, and 3 years ago one was sighted by the oxford airport. I have seen our neighborhood bobcat - he is a bulky kitty with a half tail and spots. The cougar that I saw made a German Shepherd look very small. It had a resemblance of a Great Dane (the way the hind end looked while hovering over the fawn). the cougar was very, very big- rust red, black tipped oval shaped ears, very long tail that was thick and curved upwards at the tip, and a slight dorsal stripe along its back.
“At 7:40 am (7/9/2009) this morning while drinking my coffee, I heard some high pitched screaming sounds. It sounded like a child’s angry scream-yell. There were about four bursts of screams and then it was quiet. Since my children were still in their beds, I went out to investigate.
My cat on our front deck was intently looking over at my Neighbor’s yard, so I went closer to see what was going on.
I saw a motionless rust colored animal hovering over a lighter colored animal. As I went closer, I saw that it was a wild cat over a newborn fawn. I crawled through my fence with coffee cup in hand and started walking towards the animal. I scared the animal off (about 30-40-? feet from it), and as it bounded up into the hillside I observed that it had a short muzzle, a long round tail (about half of a tail in proportion to its body, the tail being the length of the fawn) with roughish short deep rust colored fur from head to tail. Slightly darker fur on the dorsal. I did not notice thick legs or feet.
It bound up into the hillside quietly and alone. I pet the fawn (too late for the poor baby), and started back to my house to round up our cats.
The fawn was a newborn, and was bleeding from just below the ear on it’s left jaw. The Cat had a grip on the back of the neck as it hovered over the fawn (while bearing down on it). The head was clamped down in a left looking position. The cat yanked upwards on the neck as it dragged it forward in foot long increments in attempts to kill the fawn before dragging it up into the hillside.
As I slowly and warily walked away, the fawn got up, staggered, and fell again. By the time I had taken 30 steps, the cat had dragged the fawn up the hillside on the far side our Neighbor’s hill. I did not see the cat grab the fawn – It happened when my back was turned – I didn’t even hear it happen.
The animal was agile and limber.
I so wished I had my camera instead of my coffee cup. I know this account won’t officially count, but I feel strongly that you need to know. I am a visual professional artist, and am not mistaken with what I have seen at such a close distance. I saw a cougar, not a coyote, wolf or bobcat.
the closest cougar I can resemble it to is the florida panther or eastern cougar.
honestly yours,
ShawnaLee
59 bioski rd, Middlebury ct 06762
btw - I called the police and DEP that very morning.
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ShawnaLee W. Kwashnak
Custom Portraits
(203) 598-0065
[email protected]
www.shawnalee.com
What did the DEEP tell you?