Mountain lion in Fort Dodge, IA/Martin, SD

[snopes]

Comment: From a guy around northwest Fort Dodge Iowa. Pictures taken from his kitchen onto his patio deck. He wishes to remain anonymous. It was watching his little kids on the kitchen floor!!

Comment: From a guy out at Martin, SD. Pictures taken from his kitchen onto his
patio deck. It was watching his little kids on the kitchen floor!"

[Kallah]

Kiiiiiitttties. BIG kitties. Kiit- erm.

Given how thin the glass looks, could the animal have busted through the door should it have the desire to? It looks like that might be the glass insert that people stick into screen doors for wintertime - not the sturdiest of barriers. The first picture (where the animal is looking through the door up close) just looks so cat like for lack of a better word - it’s amazing how similar and yet how dangerously different the various sizes of felines get. I’d have grabbed the kids and made haste upstairs - I prefer my kitties in the housecat size - the man who took the photos is far braver than I.

Originally Posted by snopes

It was watching his little kids on the kitchen floor!!

It must have been mighty hungry if it didn't run away at the sight of the photographer.

[SatansHobbit]

In the first photo I thought "It's only tribrats' avatar come to visit."

[tribrats]

Originally Posted by SatansHobbit

In the first photo I thought "It's only tribrats' avatar come to visit."

You called?

In the first one, you can see that the chair is holding the storm-door open.

[inkrose115]

Somehow the kitty analogy is freakin' me out. I've seen my BILs cat when he's annoyed at someone and the thought of what he'd be like 20 pounds heavier with massive fangs and claws ain't making me any happier.

[Salamander]

I'm so glad I live in a land where there are no natural large species of felines. See, my brain just switches into "KIIIIIITTY!!!!" mode regardless of the size of the cat.

I'd have been convinced that with a deft scratch behind the ears that I could've turned it from a fierce predator into a purring house kitty in a matter of moments. I assume that would have been a fatal mistake on my part.

[Artemis]

I have my doubts that the lion was actually watching his kids--I mean, would he just be sitting there, taking photos? Plus, the kids aren't even in the picture...

[Barns & No Bull]

These photos were taken in Wyoming, but have been misrepresented as being from at least two other states. The cougar left of its own accord and was not watching children.

[Debunker]

Originally Posted by Salamander

I'm so glad I live in a land where there are no natural large species of felines. See, my brain just switches into "KIIIIIITTY!!!!" mode regardless of the size of the cat.

I'd have been convinced that with a deft scratch behind the ears that I could've turned it from a fierce predator into a purring house kitty in a matter of moments. I assume that would have been a fatal mistake on my part.

Yes, that definitely would be a mistake:
Zookeeper's killing by jaguar is under investigation

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Originally Posted by Barns & No Bull

These photos were taken in Wyoming, but have been misrepresented as being from at least two other states. The cougar left of its own accord and was not watching children.

How do you know this?

[Barns & No Bull]

Hey babe, long time no speak.

I have a transcript of a letter that is linked to the actual photographer. It includes full personal contact information. I won't post this here, but do offer it to snopes if he wants to investigate. This story is worthy of a Reference Page because it now has urban legend status. It is a typical one where real photos accompany a false story.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Kallah

it’s amazing how similar and yet how dangerously different the various sizes of felines get.

I once saw a lion hug its trainer/keeper/whatever the same way housecats hug their people. Only the lion almost knocked the guy down.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Originally Posted by Artemis

I have my doubts that the lion was actually watching his kids--I mean, would he just be sitting there, taking photos? Plus, the kids aren't even in the picture...

No way to tell from the photo, but let me tell you about painters and kids: at the San Diego Zoo, there is a (lovely!) black panther, and he watches kids. Oh, does he watch kids! He tracks 'em like a radar dish following an enemy aircraft! He stares at 'em, and there is no question whatsoever: his head turns to follow them as they walk on the path in front of him.

Officials in Southern California warn hikers to maintain as "big" a stance as possible -- stand up tall, wave your hands overhead, etc. -- to deter an attack from the local catamount. Hikers have been attacked when, for instance, bending over to tie their shoes. Children have been attacked. The cunning Puma knows exactly what he wants for dinner: something smaller than he is!

Silas (Anapuma or Unipuma?)

[Delta-V]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

Officials in Southern California warn hikers to maintain as "big" a stance as possible -- stand up tall, wave your hands overhead, etc. -- to deter an attack from the local catamount. Hikers have been attacked when, for instance, bending over to tie their shoes. Children have been attacked. The cunning Puma knows exactly what he wants for dinner: anything smaller than he is!

Corrected...

[Astra]

I checked with a contact in Fort Dodge - he hadn't heard about the lion story, but he's asking around.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Originally Posted by Delta-V

Corrected...

Grin! Depends on how hongry the ol' guy is! You gotta be nigh-starved to take on a porcupine, a skunk, or a rattler for dinner, but I'm sure that cougars have tried it!

Silas

[Barns & No Bull]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

No way to tell from the photo, but let me tell you about painters and kids: at the San Diego Zoo, there is a (lovely!) black panther, and he watches kids. Oh, does he watch kids! He tracks 'em like a radar dish following an enemy aircraft! He stares at 'em, and there is no question whatsoever: his head turns to follow them as they walk on the path in front of him.

Hiyah Silas!

I was tickled to see you use just about every possible common name for cougars. I think you made a mistake with the use of the term 'painter'. That is a regional common name (now almost absent from use) for a cougar. It's a folk derivation from the term 'panther'. But you used it to name a melanistic leopard or jaguar at the SDZ. The use of 'painter' was to name a cougar, not a leopard or jaguar.

I'm nit-picking, but your statement is better if you say, "No way to tell from the photo, but let me tell you about another species of big cat that is related to the painters - and how they can react to kids: at the San Diego Zoo, there is a (lovely!) black panther (can't remember if it was a leopard or jaguar), and he watches kids."

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Originally Posted by Barns & No Bull

I have a transcript of a letter that is linked to the actual photographer.

Very cool! I hope snopes uses it. You could have mentioned that in your prior post, though.

Originally Posted by Barns & No Bull

Hey babe, long time no speak.

I know!

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

No way to tell from the photo, but let me tell you about painters and kids: at the San Diego Zoo, there is a (lovely!) black panther, and he watches kids. Oh, does he watch kids! He tracks 'em like a radar dish following an enemy aircraft! He stares at 'em, and there is no question whatsoever: his head turns to follow them as they walk on the path in front of him.

Oh, I didn't mean that I don't think that a big cat would follow/track a child. I just mean that if a big cat was doing that, why would the photographer just be sitting there snapping pictures, instead of trying to get his kids upstairs? It just sounds a little too good to be true, especially since there aren't even any kids in the photo. Sounds likes omething they cooked up to make it sound suspenseful.