I had an encounter one morning in the storage barn at the radio station. I feed some of our barn cats there, or I put food out for them if I don’t see them. It was a morning several years ago, and the sun wasn’t up, and I heard a noise that was almost blood-curdling. It wasn’t human, that much I know. I’ve heard recordings of mountain lions, and it was close.
The Mountain Lion Highway is Close By
The Rock Creek Canyon isn’t far away, and not long beforehand, a woman had spotted a lion in the parking lot at the Kimberly Post Office, which isn’t far away.
I backed out of the barn and was happy to get back indoors.
The memory came back this morning when I saw a humorous post on a friend’s Facebook page. A large domestic cat frightened a teacher, prompting a lockdown at the school. From a distance, I can see the confusion.
Some House Cats Outgrow Dogs
When I was a little boy, we had a neighbor who had a massive cat. It would sleep on her front porch, and one day, at the age of 22, it vanished and never came home. Cats have been known to wander off and die.
I have a large senior cat. When he was younger, he was playful and liked to greet visitors. He’s bigger than some dog breeds, but has a squeak of a meow. Now, in his old age, he prefers to spend his free time sleeping on the deck and in the heat. He whines when I bring him inside, but he doesn’t try to scoot away.
Would he be confused with a mountain lion from a distance? I’m not sure, unless it was a lazy lion.
Cats and Kittens at The Idaho Humane Society
Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola
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