Ocelot in the backyard a few minutes ago
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Cool sighting! You didn't take a picture? 0 -
It was at that, Bill! Surprised us! No pictures. By the time I thought about that it was only a couple or three strides from the fence, and I did not want to miss any of the scene. 
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Yes it is, FCD. A wildcat that is generally found down around our southern border with Mexico and further south. Google it up. They are beautiful animals...especially the darker colored ones. They are legal to own in some states.Flying Clay Disk said:What is an ocelot? I've heard of them, but is this some kind of cat?
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James, I can appreciate wanting to take in the moment when you see something like that. Same thing happened to me when we saw the Cougar crossing the road near our house when we were coming home one afternoon.
I've only seen an Ocelot one time and that was in 1977 while driving out to our Test Site on White Sands Missile Range.0 -
Bill that's what I was doing too! By the time that it would have taken me to log-on and take a picture, I would have lost the moment...which I can take with me from this point forward.
FCD, I've done that too...a lot of times!0 -
Very cool sighting kimi! I am envious. Most of the coolest things I have encountered, I have taken mental pictures. Memories that last a lifetime! Ocelot cats were popular back in the 60's as house pets for the very well to do folks. I kind of remember a scene in one of the early James Bond movies where one of the Bond beauties had one. 0 -
I think that I remember at least part of that scene!Brookwood said:Very cool sighting kimi! I am envious. Most of the coolest things I have encountered, I have taken mental pictures. Memories that last a lifetime! Ocelot cats were popular back in the 60's as house pets for the very well to do folks. I kind of remember a scene in one of the early James Bond movies where one of the Bond beauties had one.0 -
Where are you located kimi? Do you think it was a wild one, or a domesticated one that got out? Neat sighting though, we don't have any here in the PNW.. 0 -
I'm in the Puget Sound area. I know this is not their habitat, so thinking it is likely someone's pet. I don't know if they are legal to own in this state, though. It entered over the top of our backyard fence and was walking pretty close to straight at me, then upon spotting me, it turned toward the opposite corner where it left the yard. It was a beautiful, sleek, dark colored animal.toad67 said:Where are you located kimi? Do you think it was a wild one, or a domesticated one that got out? Neat sighting though, we don't have any here in the PNW..0 -
Which side of the sound are you on?? IIRC, HPD roams that area too. I'm in Forest Grove, about 30 miles west of Portland. 0 -
Honey West had one of those as a pet. (instant flash back - Thanks Top) 0 -
I'm a couple hours SW, down on Grays Harbor.toad67 said:Which side of the sound are you on?? IIRC, HPD roams that area too. I'm in Forest Grove, about 30 miles west of Portland.
Cool sighting, kimi!0 -
That's a great flashback D!
Between Seattle and Tacoma, Toad!
Thank you, HPD!
Son just got in and we had an excited talk about it with the wife, too!0 -
Honey West
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In some states it's legal to own an Ocelot, but you can't let them run free like a house cat. Sure it wasn't someone's Bengal Cat? 0 -
I had to look up the Bengal Cat, TRAPP. Color tone is about right, but this was an Ocelot. Long, sleek as can be, and the wild looking stature. It was about 40 inches in length.TRAP55 said:In some states it's legal to own an Ocelot, but you can't let them run free like a house cat. Sure it wasn't someone's Bengal Cat?
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I live at the confluence of the Delaware river and rancocoas creek not very far north and east of Philadelphia - just north of Amico Island which is now a park and protected green acres land that had extensive paths and trails installed - has a sunken barge from the early iron and wood age - had sail and stern wheel driven by steam a true hermaphrodite vessel in the technological sense - designed to work littoral brown water undeveloped river ports and towns up past the Delaware water gap were Washington made his crossings and tall ships still visit...
In my area we have an infestation of turkeys from a turkey farm that went bust post WWII resulting in the flock being released and having near no natural enemies or predation issues...
The island was created as a result of early attempts to clear the river of obstruction and dredging practices the debris and tailings being dumped on a smaller spar of land that native Americans had used as a meeting place and a camp for hunting and fishing parties...
Much of the land is also made up of ship and barge ballast being dumped on site as trade vessels from Europe and Africa brought goods up the river past the world's largest freshwater port - mixed in with local and regional small footprint trade vessels...
One of the side effects was plant life popping up that should never be encountered in this country...
Over a dozen years ago I noticed footprint impressions and scat that my reference books identified as belonging to small wild cats in the 30-50 lbs range which are no longer native to the area if ever present in any number...
I reported these findings and documented them using basic forensic techniques when taking pictures like including a dollar bill in frame or ranging shots from prominent trees or landmarks to triangulate location and to laying out and marking off and walking a poor man's grid pattern...
I learned from park rangers and fish & game folk that they were aware of these cats and of mated bonded nesting pairs of bald and golden eagles but we're keeping things quiet to protect them...
The fact that of the dozen or so named varieties of wild cats in north America many can and did interbreed - or were close varietal relatives - I did not know that...
Also in addition to small cats following rivers and in certain forested coastal regions these cats had been having a resurgence - even into areas and regions they were never found in or native to...
They explained this by adding zoo and refuge or attraction sight escapes into the wild with a pet craze resulting in many escapes or releases along with protective laws and habitat restorations...
I was unaware that species were bred together to produce boutique pets either - like the so called liger or lion tiger mixing - or dogs and coyotes and wolves interbreeding...
We have what look like an ocelot and lynx mix and one that more like a bobcat mixed with African Savannah..
They are happily eating the wild turkeys with abandon and have wiped out some rodents...
I find it fascinating and only twice caught a diurnal glimpse as day turned to dusk...
They also Mark trees with claws and that was new info to me.
Thanks for the update.
Mike
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Kimi, that is highly unlikely unless it is an escaped pet. They are no longer found even in SE Arizona and SW NM where Jaguars are very rarely seen. 0 -
My thanks are to you, Mike! I have truly enjoyed reading this account of animal history of your area, to include, the note about the freshwater port. I'd like to meet you should the opportunity ever arise. Thanks, again, for the post.mrmike08075 said:I live at the confluence of the Delaware river and rancocoas creek not very far north and east of Philadelphia - just north of Amico Island which is now a park and protected green acres land that had extensive paths and trails installed - has a sunken barge from the early iron and wood age - had sail and stern wheel driven by steam a true hermaphrodite vessel in the technological sense - designed to work littoral brown water undeveloped river ports and towns up past the Delaware water gap were Washington made his crossings and tall ships still visit...
In my area we have an infestation of turkeys from a turkey farm that went bust post WWII resulting in the flock being released and having near no natural enemies or predation issues...
The island was created as a result of early attempts to clear the river of obstruction and dredging practices the debris and tailings being dumped on a smaller spar of land that native Americans had used as a meeting place and a camp for hunting and fishing parties...
Much of the land is also made up of ship and barge ballast being dumped on site as trade vessels from Europe and Africa brought goods up the river past the world's largest freshwater port - mixed in with local and regional small footprint trade vessels...
One of the side effects was plant life popping up that should never be encountered in this country...
Over a dozen years ago I noticed footprint impressions and scat that my reference books identified as belonging to small wild cats in the 30-50 lbs range which are no longer native to the area if ever present in any number...
I reported these findings and documented them using basic forensic techniques when taking pictures like including a dollar bill in frame or ranging shots from prominent trees or landmarks to triangulate location and to laying out and marking off and walking a poor man's grid pattern...
I learned from park rangers and fish & game folk that they were aware of these cats and of mated bonded nesting pairs of bald and golden eagles but we're keeping things quiet to protect them...
The fact that of the dozen or so named varieties of wild cats in north America many can and did interbreed - or were close varietal relatives - I did not know that...
Also in addition to small cats following rivers and in certain forested coastal regions these cats had been having a resurgence - even into areas and regions they were never found in or native to...
They explained this by adding zoo and refuge or attraction sight escapes into the wild with a pet craze resulting in many escapes or releases along with protective laws and habitat restorations...
I was unaware that species were bred together to produce boutique pets either - like the so called liger or lion tiger mixing - or dogs and coyotes and wolves interbreeding...
We have what look like an ocelot and lynx mix and one that more like a bobcat mixed with African Savannah..
They are happily eating the wild turkeys with abandon and have wiped out some rodents...
I find it fascinating and only twice caught a diurnal glimpse as day turned to dusk...
They also Mark trees with claws and that was new info to me.
Thanks for the update.
Mike
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I have seen one in the wild before. Very interesting critters. 0 -
I agree with you, Dale.He Dog said:Kimi, that is highly unlikely unless it is an escaped pet. They are no longer found even in SE Arizona and SW NM where Jaguars are very rarely seen.
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He Dog said:Kimi, that is highly unlikely unless it is an escaped pet. They are no longer found even in SE Arizona and SW NM where Jaguars are very rarely seen.
There are definitely folks out there that just release their pets into the wild. It could have been an escapee, but people get pets all the time that they can't handle. It's pretty sad.0 -
I cannot even imagine owning such a cat for a house pet! Playing with a regular breed of house cat I have been nailed by both tooth and claw when the cat I was scratching gently behind the ear or under the chin suddenly got the wild eye look and zap!!
One Ocelot size or larger could really put the hurt to you just playing friendly! I admit they are beautiful creatures to behold. In their native habitat that is!0 -
You are very kind and I appreciate it greatly.
I grew up with several bird guides and wildlife guides in a row on the counter at the back of the house were you could look out the bay window in the kitchen or the sliding glass door in the living room...
There was a great big oversized heavy hand built real slate blackboard and mail slot combo piece hanging on the wall above the books...
We maintained a printed family bird list that was updated and reviewed frequently - and the guide books and laminated quick guide sheets were there for quick reference with many more heavy tombs for deeper research after a sighting - to be more fully explored at leisure...
We had several feeders set throughout the back yard to attract winged visitors and would put out combos of seed and suet cake and nuts and peanut butter and thin short strips of colored satin ribbon...
The little green metal mesh suet cage hung from a chain - the bell shaped seed material preformed and ready to hang...
Sunflower seeds and watermelon seeds were favorites.
My mother was very keen on her selection of feeders and took great care in planning to attract colored birds like the cardinal and blue Jay and oriole...
And was a wee bit crestfallen when we began to find bird strike patterns on the lawn and predation remains and little circles of distressed feathers...
Than we began to witness birds of prey killing the pretty colored birds my mother had researched how to best attract - as the raptors and birds of prey were feeding on the birds she had attracted with her feeders.
A somewhat humorous and delicious irony the rest of us thought - it certainly helped us add several hawk varieties to our bird list.
Hummingbirds proved hit and miss sometimes appearing in abundance and sometimes absent.
Feathers were collected and documented and pressed into a book.
Bald eagle and an owl variety made the list.
This practice also crossed into the boy scouts and into school science class and even to art classes given at the Perkins art center.
And there was the fish and game or hunting and conservation aspect - ducks unlimited was a household staple and I was feathered before I entered high school.
Braided leather lanyards with a multitude of looped attachment points for duck calls and turkey calls and Delaware snow goose calls - pheasant and ptarmigan and Cornish game hen...
And those wonderful little metal duck bands - I went duck hunting at age 10 - not just sitting in the blind or beating the field or sitting in the boat or tending to the retrievers or caring for the guns or performing camp chores but it was my turn to graduate to hunting status...
And my second duck bagged with a wee to big old Winchester model 12 that just did not fit and beat me up a bit - often resulting in a bruised cheek or once a split lip...
That second mallard when brought in by the dog generated much excitement and admiration from the adults - the male relatives and peers as the duck was banded.
Serious business as what in 1981 was the proper procedure for the recipient of a banded game bird - forms to fill out and letters to mail and many months later return correspondence thanking me and providing me with a short scientific report on the duck itself - when and where it was banded and migration routes and wetland health and pond / stream / wetland habitat restoration...
How farmers could attract game birds and why small healthy ponds and puddles amidst corn fields and agricultural land was important...
Fish and game service - game wardens - duck stamps - hunting permit fees use to restore herds and habitats and how hunters and harvesters and farmers were part of the scientific team and funded the efforts...
Winchester AA #7 1/2 dead read soldiers lined up in a row - shots hell empty hulls turned into flowers and chains of simple geometric shapes strung together - trying to collect the ROYGBIV assembly of empty spent hulls during the day or the weekend or the season.
Single paper hulled loaded shells being selected and having the event and date documented on its surface - being told you should try to end up with one each year until you could fill a box of 25 shells - that being a difficult and laudable goal...
That's were it started - not unique to me but I am certain universal to many of us...
Mike
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I have also seen the black panthers as we called them. I guess I was around 10 or 12 years old when I was walking down a street in Beaumont, Texas, that came to a T on Pine Street, where on the opposite side sitting at the base of a cyclone like fence I saw it. I'm guessing I was about a block away on the edge of a an old residential area. Anyway it turned and leapt to the top of the fence and sprang from it hitting the ground in full stride and bent on bounding away at a fairly quick run between the headstones on a manicured lawn of the Magnolia Cemetery. I watched it go out of sight headed for the tree line next to the Neches River bottom land nearby the Port of Beaumont. It was only about half grown. Lots of sightings of panthers, some black, in and around Deep East Texas land.Flying Clay Disk said:Many years ago (gosh, many decades ago now) I saw a big b-l-ack (damn autocensor!) cat (Jaguar maybe?) in the Florida mangroves south of Marco Island (in the 10,000 islands area). Me and a buddy were 'poling' through some shallows between two mangrove islands, and I looked over and there was this * cat, probably 100lbs+, staring at us from the mangroves (probably sizing us up for dinner). It was just about dark when we saw it. I kicked my buddy's foot to get his attention and when he spun around to look the cat bolted. Never could figure out how those animals were able to move through those mangroves so fast with all the tangle of roots like that.Told that story for many years and no one ever believed us, until one day this salty old fishing guide we used to fish with heard us tell it. He told us to follow him into his mobile home trailer. Had one mounted on his wall that he'd shot not far from where we'd seen the one we did. Told us it was totally illegal and to keep our mouths shut. He's long dead now, so I guess I can let the 'cat' out of the bag. He said what it was, but I can't remember now.
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Mr. Perfect said:He Dog said:Kimi, that is highly unlikely unless it is an escaped pet. They are no longer found even in SE Arizona and SW NM where Jaguars are very rarely seen.
There are definitely folks out there that just release their pets into the wild. It could have been an escapee, but people get pets all the time that they can't handle. It's pretty sad.
I agree in every regard. I would think it would be very difficult for an escaped pet ocelot to make a living in the Pacific Northwest. It might last a summer, but this is essentially a tropical cat and I just cannot see it surviving the winter up there. I was wondering if there was any wildwood weed involved in this sighting. Kimi, what about a Safari cat? 0 -
Well, uh, I taut I taw a Tocelot...:)He Dog said:Mr. Perfect said:He Dog said:Kimi, that is highly unlikely unless it is an escaped pet. They are no longer found even in SE Arizona and SW NM where Jaguars are very rarely seen.
There are definitely folks out there that just release their pets into the wild. It could have been an escapee, but people get pets all the time that they can't handle. It's pretty sad.
I agree in every regard. I would think it would be very difficult for an escaped pet ocelot to make a living in the Pacific Northwest. It might last a summer, but this is essentially a tropical cat and I just cannot see it surviving the winter up there. I was wondering if there was any wildwood weed involved in this sighting. Kimi, what about a Safari cat? 0 -
When I was a kid, the neighbor had a pair of Ocelots. The male escaped for about a week. Couple of months later, other neighbors cats started having litters of strangely marked kittens. He was a busy cat during his freedom week.Kimi, back in my college/party days, there was a girl that couldn't hold her liquor, her nickname was Tossalot.
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TRAP55 said:When I was a kid, the neighbor had a pair of Ocelots. The male escaped for about a week. Couple of months later, other neighbors cats started having litters of strangely marked kittens. He was a busy cat during his freedom week.Kimi, back in my college/party days, there was a girl that couldn't hold her liquor, her nickname was Tossalot.
Great post, TRAPP!!!0
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About 15 to 20 years ago, reports began to circulate around the county of a large black cat being sighted by hunters and fishermen . I knew some of the folks involved and knew them to be credible. Mid-day one fall we sighted the cat walking thru the field behind my house , larger than a full grown dog . There we're 6 of us that saw the animal . Later that same month the trapper. , doing beaver control work in the swamp there reported traps being destroyed. He set the largest trap he could find and heavily chained it down . Next day it was thrown and he found black hairs caught in the trap jaws Of course the fish and wildlife folks say there are no cougars left anywhere in the state 0
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