Big Blond Kitty is Hungry...

[georged]

Up until the late(ish) 1960's, the only significantly large population of mountain lions in the US was in Hell Canyon, Arizona.

Western states ranchers and farmers had kept the number down for a hundred years.

Then, they were made a protected species by people far away in big cities because City People never tire of telling Rural People what's best for them (it's a human thing, not just a USA one), and fifty years later the Big Blond Kitties have spread like coyotes.

Brentwood is home to all manner of movie stars and other wealthy L.A. types. (Beverly Hills is the next click over, on the other side of the 405.)

Whoops.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

When I was in college I dated a volleyball player for a few months. She was 5'11 and VERY blonde. The thread title made me think of her.

 

[verporchting]

We get them in town fairly often here in Montana and they can be a PITA. Sadly, a beautiful female cat was shot not long ago because she was spotted hanging around a daycare center and refused to leave (they usually scram once they know they are being watched - especially by folks with guns; smart that way) so they put her down. One of my friends had one laying in her flowerbeds and she ended up calling the cops so she could leave for work, lol. Once they showed up the cat bailed out in a hurry but the picture she had of a big kitty lounging in the flowerbed was awesome.

 

[romaso]

You shouldn't see them in the daytime. Means something's off...

 

[georged]

When I was in college I dated a volleyball player for a few months. She was 5'11 and VERY blonde. The thread title made me think of her.

She spoke of you often. Told me she always thought of you as the one who got away...

 

[sablebrush52]

I mostly see Coyotes wandering my street at night. A few months ago, while I was reading my news feed in my camping chair out on the lawn, one of them approached me to see if I was ready to be dinner. I got out of my chair, raised my arms up to make myself bigger and that sumbitch took off like hell was after him. Cougars, like the one in the picture, not your mother, are all over the place. The real bastards are the raccoons.
Because of the drought they're coming down out of Griffith Park and other mountain areas to look for water and prey.

 

[anotherbob]

Nah man it's the deer that suck giant rats with stab sticks on their heads

 

[georged]

Turns out that Big Blond Hungry Kitties aren't easy to scare away, either, or only target kids and pets, or only attack when your back is turned:

 

[yohanan]

Turns out that Big Blond Hungry Kitties aren't easy to scare away, either, or only target kids and pets, or only attack when your back is turned:

Pretty much sounds like the life and times of mountain kitties.

 

[romaso]

I mostly see Coyotes wandering my street at night. A few months ago, while I was reading my news feed in my camping chair out on the lawn, one of them approached me to see if I was ready to be dinner... The real bastards are the raccoons...

Pepper spray will work on both. I had to use it on a racoon while I was sitting out front (he thought he should share my snack). Unfortunately, fearlessness like that can be a sign of rabies.

 

[Hillcrest]

I have to dig out a picture of a baby mountain lion sunning itself on a rock on my hillside. About 35-40 pounds with 4" incisors. The state of CT wanting to cut down on the huge deer population (went from about 30K to about 80-90K) because they severely limited hunting licenses and increased fees decided to release 10 mountain lion pairs across the state about 10-12 years ago. The problem was they didn't tell anyone until people started reporting sightings and missing pets. Now the mountain lions are a problem. With the increased deer population the coyote and coywolf population has increased as well. One time I had the whole pack in my yard at night. The coywolves are much bigger and cleaner and smarter than coyotes. They are true fearless predators.

 

[romaso]

Turns out that Big Blond Hungry Kitties aren't easy to scare away, either, or only target kids and pets, or only attack when your back is turned:

Don't Run! Gets their chase instinct going, which is why trail running can be dangerous. They're also very curious, like most cats, so following is different from stalking. You likely wouldn't see a cat stalking you, though there are exceptions!

You might like to read some of Jim Corbett's true stories. He would hunt the man eating tigers in India that no one else would. My cat would like to jump on me when she saw me reading them!

 

[romaso]

Nah man it's the deer that suck giant rats with stab sticks on their heads

Yeah, and they got deer ticks which carry Lyme disease.

 

[romaso]

... because City People never tire of telling Rural People what's best for them (it's a human thing, not just a USA one)

Horace made the same observation 2,000 years ago.
And also about how some women are just after your barn, if I recall...

 

[georged]

Nah man it's the deer that suck giant rats with stab sticks on their heads

I've always wondered how different the world would be today if 80 years ago there hadn't been this.

(Kidbrains are like Play-Doh, and early impressions are the strongest)

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I'm all for cohabitation with lethally dangerous wildlife, it's going to be very entertaining.
(Seriously though I love big cats and it's very encouraging to hear their population is recovering.)

 

[shanez]

I've always wondered how different the world would be today if 80 years ago there hadn't been this.

(Kidbrains are like Play-Doh, and early impressions are the strongest)


View attachment 177707

My favorite Bambi video:

 

[jttnk]

My brother lives in West LA, they have ring video of a Mountain Lion cruising down the sidewalk in front of their house. Palisades area. It’s kinda gnarly.

 

[georged]

My brother lives in West LA, they have ring video of a Mountain Lion cruising down the sidewalk in front of their house. Palisades area. It’s kinda gnarly.

Turns out that doorbell and assorted security cameras are proving to be great wildlife census takers:

ring video of mountain lion california - Google Search

 

[Brendan]

As an Aussie this is the sort of stuff that makes me shake my head whenever somebody says 'Australia? Where everything is trying to kill ya?'

No. Not really. We don't have these bastards, wolves, bears, moose, honey badgers or wolverines, rattle snakes and postal workers.

Good luck guys, I'll stick to playing Red Dead Redemption 2 for my Cougar interactions.