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Rural DUers--help my mom and I identify this mystery animal:

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BlueIris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 07:33 AM
Original message
Rural DUers--help my mom and I identify this mystery animal:
Edited on Fri Sep-02-05 08:00 AM by BlueIris
all my mother knows about it is that when she pointed a flashlight in its eyes a few nights back, "they were blue in the dark." Oh, and that she thinks the animal is about the size of a cat, maybe a little larger.

My parents live in Western Oregon, (Willamette Valley) about three miles outside of a biggish city. On a big hill, surrounded by pine trees. Any guesses?
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 07:43 AM
Response to Original message
1. Could've been a bobcat...
I'd put up a pix of one... But, I don't have
the bandwidth right now.

Bobcats range all over the west and they vary in
size between large domestic cat size to the size
of a medium dog.

I had to stop in the road for one the other day.
First one I'd seen in the wild.
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BlueIris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:01 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. That would be ungood.
My mom loves cats of all sizes, and has oftern joked about getting a pet tiger.
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:10 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. Are you worried she would try to adopt it?
No worries... Bobcats are very aloof of people and
also very territorial.

If that is what the animal was... After it was spotlighted
it's probably long gone.

Now, pumas... Don't mess with pumas.
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BlueIris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 06:42 PM
Response to Reply #3
19. Yes, I am worried she would try to adopt it.
Or at least make friends with it. My mother has this nutty delusion that being a cat person means being able to be friends with all cats.
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:41 AM
Response to Original message
4. Bobcat a good guess.


Mountain lion/cougar a little less common, but not impossible:


Or, a large house cat not unlikely either. :)
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 09:04 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. The bobcat I saw was more of a light sandy color all over...
Not as spotted as the cat in your picture. (Thanks
for posting... BTW)

Interesting animals!

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AnarchoFreeThinker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:42 AM
Response to Original message
5. most likely the president
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murielm99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:52 AM
Response to Original message
6. Oscar???
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:56 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. lol
:D

Good one, muriel. :thumbsup:
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redqueen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 06:41 PM
Response to Reply #6
18. That's what I wanted to say.
:D
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Bossy Monkey Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:57 AM
Response to Original message
8. Here's the list
http://www.mammalsociety.org/statelists/ormammals.html
Unfortunately, "eyes fluoresce blue" didn't return any hits, but maybe a more talented wordsmith can come up with a better phrasing.
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 09:08 AM
Response to Reply #8
10. Thanks for the link!
I want to see a "Pacific Jumping Mouse" cam!

Really I do!

Hey, it could've been a Lynx she saw! There's only
12 known there, but, wouldn't that be neat!
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BlueIris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 06:41 PM
Response to Reply #10
17. Oooh. One was reported escaped in a town hear here last month.
It had been someone's pet. That would also be ungood. See above.
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Tyrone Slothrop Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 09:35 AM
Response to Original message
11. Probably a chupacabra
The elusive Mexican goat-sucker.
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 09:37 AM
Response to Reply #11
12. I hope they have some chupacabra repellant...
*NOW* in the convenient ozone friendly spray bottles
and towelettes.

;)
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BlueIris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Sep-03-05 05:11 AM
Response to Reply #12
21. Hee. I wonder if our local natural foods' store has that? nt
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TransitJohn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 09:38 AM
Response to Original message
13. My guess
is pine martin.
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NV Whino Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 10:04 AM
Response to Original message
14. It's probably a possum
Edited on Fri Sep-02-05 10:05 AM by NV Whino
I once mistook a possum for my blue point Siamese. It was on my porch (late at night and dark) eating walnuts. I couldn't figure out why my cat was eating walnuts. Next night I used a flashlight and discovered it was a possum. Eye tend to reflect blue when light is shined on them.
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yewberry Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 10:22 AM
Response to Original message
15. Maybe opossum or mountain beaver
Y'know, for years I thought that my husband was making up the existence of an animal called a 'mountain beaver'--it just seems so unlikely.

They are, however, real after all, and common in Oregon. Nasty little things, too.
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blindpig Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 12:57 PM
Response to Original message
16. feral cat
one of those blue eyed suckers.
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DS1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 06:43 PM
Response to Original message
20. Oscar has been found!
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In_The_Wind Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Sep-03-05 05:36 AM
Response to Reply #20
22. what's with
Oscar




dazed and confused again what else is new ...
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Bossy Monkey Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Sep-03-05 10:19 AM
Response to Reply #22
23. You asked for it...
I give you...
the legendary...
Oscar thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=624815
(usually cited as the funniest thread ever on DU)
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