Residents of Pateros were warned about a confirmed cougar sighting early on Wednesday morning. According to reports, the wildcat was caught on camera by a local resident and spotted by others around 2:30 am near Peninsula Park on Riverside Drive.
Michelle Bearden, a Pateros resident, captured the cat on camera in her yard at exactly 2:38 am. The Okanogan County Emergency Management & The City of Pateros advised locals to be cautious and aware of their surroundings while outside and to keep a close eye on kids and pets. The camera's owner, who lives four houses away from the park, said that the cougar was a big one.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife advise those of us who live in cougar country, to Feed dogs and cats indoors. If you must feed outside, do so in the morning or midday, and pick up food and water bowls, as well as leftovers and spilled food, well before dark. Pet food and water attract small mammals that, in turn, attract cougars.
Keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn. Left outside at night, small dogs and cats may become prey for cougars. Use garbage cans with tight-fitting lids. Garbage attracts small mammals that, in turn, attract cougars.