rockin'robin

Police in Salem, Oregon, responded to a call about a cougar invading a man's backyard. A neighbor who spotted the beast estimated it weighed 45 to 55 pounds. Police were quick to respond, as even a young cougar, or mountain lion, could pose a serious risk, were it to attack.

However, after reviewing pictures of the alleged cougar, it turns out the unwanted visitor was nothing more than a domesticated feline. That's right, the mysterious terror was just a Maine Coon, one of the most popular breed of house cats in North America.

Last month, police in Santa Monica, California, shot and killed a mountain lion that was roaming near a downtown promenade, sparking protest from animal rights activists.

Maine Coon cats are a large breed and have been surrounded by folklore for centuries, with rumors that their oversize paws and expert hunting skills came about as a result of breeding with raccoons. And the Oregon resident who called police on this fluffy creature was not alone in mistaking its origins. Despite being known for its intelligence and playful nature, some people used to think the Maine Coon came about from average cats interbreeding with American bobcats.

After the initial report of the "cougar" spotting, police reported the kitty "moved on without threatening anyone."

Man calls police on

Deafness

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LoveBlue

Thank goodness my "Maine Coon" is black & white. Hopefully he won't get mistaken for cougar.

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VacationGuy234

I used to have a Main Coon cat and there is no way you could confuse it with a cougar or mountain lion. A Lynx or ocelot could be a source of confusion, but not that cat.

They are big and cool, but someone needs glasses...

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rockin'robin

Any truth that these felines did in fact mate with raccoons or bobcats?...Inbreeding?....Maybe just folk lore....

LoveBlue

I suspect just folk lore. I mean, they have the characteristics of cats. They're just big, furry, soft-spoken and laid back cats. I'd think they'd be less "laid back" if they had raccoon or bobcat in their genes.

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Babyblue

Wirelessly posted

That must have been an awesome cat. Either that, or the person was dipping in the vat.

Grummer

seem like an owrsum cat

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VamPyroX

This reminds me of an episode from Weeds where this boy heard news about a mountain lion going through the town. He decided to guard his house using a rifle and finally shot it. His mom later found out that it wasn't a mountain lion, but a neighbor's cat.

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Jiro

love that show.

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MsSaraB

hahaha.. poor guy. I wouldn't be able to leave my house for a week after that. Bet that cat is strutting around like the king of the jungle now. lol.

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deafdrummer

I was going to add that maybe something's wrong with the person's vision, like things look bigger over time without the person realizing it, and maybe the cat triggered the realization that something wasn't right with his vision. But they are that big??

Never mind. I looked it up, and it turns out that while they are the largest of these cats, they are long-haired, though. Glasses, folks. Cougars are not long-haired...

:nerdglasses: