A very large cat swaggered across the back porch of a Cedar Hills resident last week, casually swerving between flowerpots in a surprise 2 a.m. visit.
The cougar encounter, caught on video and posted to Nextdoor, was one of three sightings around Beaverton in the last week, detective Anel Cerić of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said on Sunday.
“That is definitely not a house cat,” one Tigard resident replied to the Cedar Hills video.
On Thursday, a cougar was again spotted about a mile away, near Foothill Drive in Cedar Hills, Cerić said.
And on Friday, a large cat made an appearance on 17th street in Beaverton.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is aware of the cougar sightings, Cerić said. The department suggested that area residents keep an eye on pets and children, and stay particularly vigilant around dawn and dusk.
The department calls cougars an “Oregon conservation success story.” The big cats were hunted down to a population of about 200 in the 1960s, the department says, but the cougar population has since rebounded. That also means that human and cougar interactions have become more frequent, "as humans move into cougar territory and cougars move into human territory."
People who spot a cougar in their neighborhood should call the Department of Fish and Wildlife or local 911 operators, the state says. The department will likely work with law enforcement to monitor or possibly remove the cat. Cougars are considered dangerous if they’re seen repeatedly during homes in daytime hours, attacking pets or charging.
Oregonians who encounter a cougar should:
- Give the animal a chance to retreat, they will often leave if given the opportunity.
- Stay calm and maintain direct eye contact.
- Back away slowly. Don’t run - that could encourage the cougar to chase or attack.
- Speak firmly and in a loud voice. If the cougar seems aggressive, look bigger by raising your arms and clapping your hands.