“What is this? It’s a dog, right?”
Those were the first words Tess texted to me this morning. She was out for her run and spotted them along her road. Sad to say, nope, they aren’t doggie prints, they’re kitty cat prints. They’re baaaaaaack.
Well, they’re always here, it’s just with fresh snow on the ground, their tracks are now easy to see.
After my library Christmas party, I drove in to see the tracks myself.
No claw marks like a dog would have… and the distinctive M shaped large pad… M is for Mountain Lion.
They are a day or two old… and I didn’t track him back very far… and while part of me is excited to see these critters, THEY ARE RIGHT THERE by Daniel and Tess’ house where three of my grandkids go screaming down the hill on their sleds…. I get it.
I always told my kids to walk home from the bus TOGETHER. Sure enough the older two would show up without their baby brother who seemed to like to goof off on the way home. They’d get disgusted and leave him behind. I’d stand at the door and watch and listen to make sure Brandon made it home. While I firmly believed they needed that mile walk home to blow off their after school steam… living with big cats around is never easy on a mother’s heart!
I also think there seem to be more of them around.
There’s probably not a lot to worry about so long as there are deer around to eat… just keep repeating Go Away. Not here, kitty kitty.
We have LOTS of deer around here, but a large cat has killed several small dogs and a neighbor ‘s baby calf. Trapper said not coyote, but a mountain lion. Sheep and goats are also on the menu. They are not endangered here. Foothills of Sierra Nevada in California.
A mother’s heart is rarely settled. There’s always something to be concerned about but many are never spoken, just pondered on in our hearts. Your wise words for your kids were great. Hoping the kitty cat stays well away from your family.