Horse owner Lori Hart of rural Aitkin wants other livestock owners to know there are large wild cats out there that are attacking horses.
Last week her 900-pound quarter horse mare, Molly, was mauled by a cat that a Pierz veterinarian confirmed was either a mountain lion or a cougar. The cat, Hart said, took “a big old chunk out of her hindquarters.” She said the veterinarian’s office said a similar attack took place on calf less than a month ago.
The attack is believed to have taken place at a pasture a few miles from Hart’s home near the junction of Highways 169 and 210.
The veterinarian’s report said the laceration was about nine inches long and multiple muscle bellies were severed within the wound.
Hart, who owns 15 horses, said Molly is doing well although she’s experiencing some swelling. She’s being kept in a stall for the next three or four months.
“The hide is gone,” Hart said.
Hart said she is attempting to spread the word so that livestock owners can be particularly alert to any problems caused by large cats.
“I just want the other neighbors to be aware,” she said.
MIKE O’ROURKE, associate editor, may be reached at 855-5860 or mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com. He may be followed at www.twitter.com/MikeORourkenews.
Comments (22)
Add commentI thought
a mountain lion and a cougar were the same.
mountain lion
According to Wikipedia a mountian lion is the same thing as a cougar, puma,mountain cat, catamount and a panther (not a black panther just a panther). No matter what you call it I wouldn't want to run into one.
Less than a week ago I saw a
Less than a week ago I saw a Bobcat in SW Brainerd.
Nice to hear no one is blaming the Timber Wolves for this one
Its terrible her horse was hurt , however dont think thats justification for the actions of the guy in Southern MN who chased a cougar by I -90 into a culvert & shot it . Then loaded the dead protected cat into his pick em up , to go show his buddies. The DNR should have thrown the book at that guy, think they only fined him $ 300 to 600.
Not the first attack
I was at the Staples Veterinary clinic in June. A young lady was there and her young colt had been attacked in a similar way. She was so thankful there was a stallion in the field and he apparently fought off the animal.
I found this on the DNR site:
Because of their highly secretive nature, an encounter with a cougar is extremely rare in Minnesota. If an encounter should occur:
Face the cougar directly, raise your arms to make yourself appear larger and speak loudly and firmly. This behavior is in direct conflict with a cougar's tendency to hunt by stalking and attacking from ambush. Do not run, crouch or lay on the ground.
Do not shoot the animal, even if livestock or pets are threatened. Cougars are a protected species and may only be killed by a licensed peace officer or authorized permit holder.
Report the encounter or sighting to a conservation officer or local law enforcement authorities as soon as possible so evidence such as photographs, tracks, hair and scat can be located, identified, confirmed and documented.
"Do not shoot the animal,
"Do not shoot the animal, even if livestock or pets are threatened. Cougars are a protected species and may only be killed by a licensed peace officer or authorized permit holder."
Screw that ... I would unload
elkatraz
That might work on a libby but if I have one sneaking up on me & it gets past my comfort zone it is going to get shot!!! Sorry. I suppose the next thing somebody will want to relocate Grizzlys here?? Does the DNR still say their is no cats in MN??
While I do feel for those with livestock and such,
this attitude of kill everything to protect your little piece of heaven gets old after awhile. You move into the country, do you really expect all of wildlife to move out?
OFB-I was just thinking
I was just thinking the same thing. Didn't the DNR report that we have no big cat population in MN and that if someone ever saw one it must just be "passing through"? I guess someone forgot to tell the cats that they can't live here.
I think shooting the cat would be a moot point for me. If it was threatening me or my pets I would probably tend to shoot IF I had a gun in my hand at the moment. But I don't carry a gun with me everywhere I go either. So chances are, I would follow the suggestions and try to scare it off before it ate Fluffy for lunch.
Who ya gonna call????
Cat Busters!!!!!!
Spotted one Sunday
on cnty rd 25 in Oak Lawn Township heading east. It ran across the road into a corn field just north of Oakhollow housing development. Last week my son said he heard what he thought was either a young child or woman screaming in our woods. My thought was it may have been the neighbor girls playing, but I grew up in the Mountains in Ca. and that is exactly was the lions up there sounded like. Growing up with them you didn't hike without a gun. I'm going to put out a camera and see if this is a cat.
Here Kitty Kitty Kitty
BANG! Wasn't there a movie about this- Kitty Kitty Kitty Bang Bang.
cat
As Letterman says-----here kitty kitty kitty
I was attacked by a cougar
I raised my arms above my head and told her firmly, "You're too old for me."
It worked, she left me alone!
Nothing new...
There has been reported cougar sightings for years in the Breezy Point/Crosslake/Fifty Lakes area...most sightings occur on Friday/Saturday nights and the openers of hunting/fishing season.
There are some parallels here...
Once the word gets out that MN is a welfare haven, they will flock to this state. It's only a matter of time. And the DNR will continue to tell us that they are not an issue.
Wolves? Nope. You won't find a timber wolf south of Ely. Now, suddenly they are everywhere, we even need a season on 'em.
The immediate consequence of these attacks will be some chin-rubbing at the highest levels and demands for a study (to the tune of 250 grand).
And a new division
Hey Tripwire-You forgot. A new division within the DNR will also have to be established, employing many new unionized government employees (DFL Voters). I can hear it now.
Cougars Spotted in Aitkin County
This Cougar can be found roaming in Aitkin Co. just about every weekend during the summer and fall months, watch out for me!
cougars
If you do not put the fear of man in them, they become hunters of man. California ring a bell?
I say shoot it, its too comfortable around man if it is attacking a horse at a farmstead.
I'd say it was too
I'd say it was too comfortable with man if it was attacking a horse in the barn. But "out in the pasture" is pretty similar to "out in the woods " or "out in the field". Cougars don't have the concept of a wire fence being the boundary of Man's Land. Horses would be a natural prey animal for large cats. I don't think the cat was thinking of humans at all....probably just thinking about eating the horse.
As the cats increase in number though, farmers might want to bring their stock up close to the barn at night.
I hope her horse makes a full recovery. That had to be a scary thing to find when she went out to the pasture.
a young child or woman screaming in our woods
jerfurth, a few years ago we heard this terrible screaming sound in the woods behind our home. A friend found a site with grey fox sounds which made your hair stand on end. I wasn't able to locate the file. However, go to the following youtube site and listen. These calls are mild compred to the other site but you will still be surprised at the sounds these little foxes make! Go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ2lKGDanwU