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Despite their power and ferocity, cougars (aka mountain lions or pumas) are just about as wary of us as we are of them. While cougars have been known to occasionally attack people, such attacks are rare, much less fatal ones- and as someone who doesn't fancy being eaten by one, that's alright by me. The big cats are usually content to stay out of our way and out of sight.
But every so often, you'll see a mad mountain lion get their dander and make a rare, startling appearance. One Washington family had the shock of their lives last week after a cougar barreled into their backyard at top speeds, coming within just a few feet of them!
That mountain lion was booking it! As seen on the @todayshow , the cougar was trying to chase down the family's house cats, and was completely uninterested in the family themselves. The family barely had time to process what happened, but they immediately booked it inside, bringing their pet dog with them!
Related: Woman Recounts Being Horrifically Attacked by Cougar on Bike Trail Outside Seattle
According to USA Today , this incident happened at the home of the Havener family , located about 35 miles northeast of Seattle, Washington , in the town of Monroe. Gregory Havener reportedly said that he and his family were washing their cars when their two cats came booking it out of the woods with a mountain lion in hot pursuit!
Just to dispel any suspense, don't worry: all animals, including the two house cats and the family's new puppy, made it through this story safely. The wife and daughter went inside with the dog, the house cats made it out of reach of the cougar, and the big cat eventually gave off and went back into the woods to hunt elsewhere. The Havener family and their furry friends made it through their cougar encounter unscathed, but with video evidence to prove their wild story!
Protecting Pets from Cougars
This story had a good outcome, but not all cougar encounters with pets end so happily. A California couple's Giant Schnauzer needed emergency surgery after a mountain lion jumped into their backyard and attacked the pet in February. Fortunately, the dog would pull through, but cougars have been known to kil and eat cats, dogs, and other pet animals.
If you live in cougar territory, it's important that you take precautions to keep your pets from falling prey to them. Mountainlion.org has specific advice for protecting cats and dogs from mountain lions , as well as making your property less appealing to predator animals. Outdoor cats, they warn, are at a high risk of predation due to their free-roaming behavior, but you can better protect them by bringing them indoors from dusk to dawn, when mountain lions are most active. Dogs, especially small ones, should also be kept inside overnight and should be walked outside on a leash for late night or early morning potty breaks. Make cougars work for their food- let 'em know they can't hunt in your backyard!
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