It’s 9 a.m. on Saturday morning when Lori Mcfarlane heads off down Horne Lake Cave Road, with a friend’s dog, Angel. Part lab, part dalmation, she and Lori are in search of a bear munching on berries, Lori saw earlier that morning.

They haven’t gone too far when Lori gets an uneasy feeling there is something behind her. She turns around and sees a cougar, crouched low to the ground, advancing towards them. Lori levels herself and tells the cat, “You Get!” The cougar, ignoring her warning continues to advance. Again she says, “You Get!” Angel, sensing danger, twists her body around behind Lori’s leg

Never takes it’s eyes off the dog, the mountain lion keeps coming. Lori notices it’s a rather young cat and appears very thin. Despite the drama taking place around her, Lori pulls out her disposable camera and manages to get three shots of the animal as it advances.

There is no doubt in Lori’s mind, the cougar is stalking the dog. The cat is close enough now, Lori could touch it with her boot. Suddenly, it hunches up, it’s muscles are ready to pounce. Lori quickly unzips her jacket, throws it wide open and screams as loud as she can. This sudden action startles the cougar who screams too, jumps up into the air, and immediately disappears.

The mountain lion is spotted again later that morning further down the lake chasing a neighbors cat along the shore. The conservation authorities are contacted, but the cougar appears to have escaped.

Does a starving cougar lurking near my cabin make me nervous? Yes. This past weekend as we were closing up the cabin, I gotta admit, I was much more aware of my surroundings, especially with the children and our dog.

According to the British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment’s website, cougars are attracted to small children. They are not sure if it is because of their high-pitched voices, small size, or erratic movements that make them difficult to identify as being human.  I personally think it’s because they are easier to attack and will provide less resistance than a 195 pound male.

Lori said the cougar’s scream sounded just like a baby’s.  When asked if she was nervous about the attack, she said she wasn’t, because the animal was so focused on the dog.  These large cat’s are attracted to pets, so it is a good idea to have them on a leash.  Never leave food scraps laying around for your pet as it could attract other animals or prey for the cougar.

It’s also recommended when you are out walking to carry a large stick, if you have children, keep them very close by and under control.  Dog’s will sense a cougar before we will.

If you encounter one, stay calm and talk to it in a confident voice.  Try to make yourself appear as large as possible, and never turn your back on the cat.  Stand your ground, or back away slowly, but do not turn your back on the animal.  If you would like more information on these large cats go to www.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/cougsf.htm.

I’m kinda glad this incident happened at the end of the season, but it is a good reminder that we share our cabin with some  neighbors, who would be only to happy to have us for their own “happy hour.”

Here’s to safe keeping.

Cheers,

Julie