A mountain lion that attacked and killed a pet dog last Saturday returned to the home this evening.

According to Kim Mattersteig, the Olive Avenue homeowner whose 22-lb dog Bridget was killed in the early morning hours last weekend, a mountain lion was seen leaping over her backyard fence around 8:30 p.m.

“We had returned from the tree lighting in Montrose and our daughter Sherice [who is an adult] went into the backyard to make sure it was clear to let the dogs out to go potty,” she said.

When Sherice went into the backyard, she heard what she described as a scrambling sound, something that sounded like “a fat man going over a wall.” She quickly returned to the inside of the house and said she felt like she was in danger in the yard. She returned to the backyard with an airhorn.

Kim reported that nothing appears amiss in the backyard, but there are more scratches on the fence. The fence had been scratched last weekend, probably by the mountain lion when it was leaving the property.

Her husband Paul then went into the backyard and when he peered over the rear of the fence, the cat was sitting in the easement between the two properties. Though he clapped his hands to ward it off, the mountain lion remained where it was.

Kim said that she had been warned that the mountain lion might come back.

“I was told that it might come for our other dog,” Kim said.

The family warns neighbors that the mountain lion is in the area and is bold. The family plans to keep a watchful eye on the yard throughout the night.
Information from the Dept. of Fish and Game “Keep Me Wild” program

Living in Mountain Lion Country

•Don’t feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.

•Deer-proof your landscaping by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. For tips, request A Gardener’s Guide to Preventing Deer Damage from DFG offices.

•Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.

•Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended.

•Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.

•Provide sturdy, covered shelters for sheep, goats, and other vulnerable animals.

•Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, and at night.

•Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.