I think this cat was just traveling through.
My neighbors and I got together a few years ago and had CalFire do a serious fuel reduction project on all of our properties. Then the neighbor above me really thinned out the trees along the deer trail. There is no brush for the cat to hide in waiting for prey.
Also, I haven't seen any deer on the deer trail since I saw that last bunch pass through, which is unusual.
I did play Paul Revere this afternoon and stopped by all of my near neighbors and warned them that there was a cougar in our neighborhood. I kind of felt foolish ... kind of like an alarmist, but some of them have small children. Better safe than sorry.
One neighbor told me that there had been several reports of cougars in town on Facebook, but not on our side of town and promised to put the word out.
Keep warm y'all.
