What Happened to Me on the Worst Day Ever?

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The discussion revolves around a person's alarming experience of developing spots resembling measles and a subsequent bizarre incident that they cannot disclose, fearing media attention and potential danger. They express anxiety about the situation, which has affected their sleep, and consider reporting it anonymously due to its seriousness. Participants in the thread speculate about the cause of the spots, suggesting possibilities like allergies or stress, and encourage seeking medical advice. The conversation shifts to concerns about local wildlife, particularly mountain lions, with anecdotes about their presence in the area and the risks they pose to pets and residents. The original poster shares fears about a mountain lion being close to their home, prompting discussions about safety measures and wildlife management. Overall, the thread captures a mix of personal distress, humor, and community support regarding both health concerns and wildlife encounters.
  • #31
Mountain lions prey on family pets on the West side of our town, too. It's a little more expected, since the West side of town runs right up to the bottom of the Rampart Range.

Sometimes they venture further East. All the parks have warning signs that essentially say, "If your pet is being attacked by a mountain lion, let go of the leash", but with a little more verbiage about the dangers of getting between a mountain lion and its prey.

I used to know someone that worked at the Humane Society and one of most frustrating things she'd encounter is people losing their pet, finally giving up on finding it, adopting a new pet, losing it, giving up and adopting a new pet. She'd look at these West side addresses with horror and know exactly what was happening.
 
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  • #32
BobG said:
I used to know someone that worked at the Humane Society and one of most frustrating things she'd encounter is people losing their pet, finally giving up on finding it, adopting a new pet, losing it, giving up and adopting a new pet. She'd look at these West side addresses with horror and know exactly what was happening.
:cry: :cry:

I have a 5 foot tall wood fence around my property, at a cost of $9k, which would normally keep wild animals out, but the kid that does my lawn left the south gate open. I would hope that this animal won't feel like jumping the fence, but of course the fence only goes around the back.
 
  • #33
Evo said:
Cougars (mountain lions) are pretty unmistakable at a close distance, there's no mistaking that one was in my yard last night, we're talking 20-30 feet away from the window.
Maybe you can call the Wildlife Dept doing that study in Astronuc's article instead of calling police (not sure who else you'd call) who would totally overreact and show up with a hunting party and media. If it's coming that close to the house, someone needs to be notified, and hopefully wildlife officials would try to relocate it rather than shoot it before it learns to hunt people.

I wouldn't worry as much about coyotes (your neighbor with the farm might though). They're really unlikely to go after a full grown human, and they pretty much hunt at night, so as long as you keep all your pets indoors at night, people can coexist with them okay. You would want to keep small children close to the house when they play too, but most parents do that anyway, and since you don't have small children, it's not an issue for you.

As for the spots, yes, get it checked out. You seem to be under a lot of stress lately, so it's quite possible that it's something triggered by stress, or an allergic reaction to something. Hopefully it's not measles or shingles and is just something you can treat with a cream or antihistamine.
 
  • #34
Evo said:
:cry: :cry:

I have a 5 foot tall wood fence around my property, at a cost of $9k, which would normally keep wild animals out, but the kid that does my lawn left the south gate open. I would hope that this animal won't feel like jumping the fence, but of course the fence only goes around the back.
A 5 ft fence won't even keep IN a housecat, I really don't think it's going to keep OUT a mountain lion.

BobG said:
I used to know someone that worked at the Humane Society and one of most frustrating things she'd encounter is people losing their pet, finally giving up on finding it, adopting a new pet, losing it, giving up and adopting a new pet. She'd look at these West side addresses with horror and know exactly what was happening.
I'm trying to figure out if those people are complete idiots or totally callous. How can you lose pet after pet in mountain lion country and just shrug it off and get a new one without learning to keep them inside?! :frown: Did anyone at the Human Society ever advise these people about the risks of mountain lions in the area and instruct them to keep their pets indoors and not to let them outdoors unattended, even in a fenced yard?
 
  • #35
If one had the measles, I think one would have a fever. Maybe it's a good time to see one's doctor. I think I remember a comment about someone getting a comprehensive physical.

As for the cougar, I would suggest calling Mark Jakubauskas who did the wildlife survey and ask him to come out and take a look - discretely. Maybe he could collect any evidence.

A 10ft fence won't keep a mountain lion out. They climb trees and I'm pretty sure they can to 8-10 ft vertical.
 
  • #36
Sorry to hear about your predicament, Evo. Mountain lions are so cute. At least on National Geographic. That's where they ought to stay, in my opinion, not mess about people's fences.
 
  • #37
I think I figured out the spots. Night before last I moved some stones and one had an ant colony under it and a million (yes, I counted them) ants swarmed up my right arm, my first (albeit stupid) reaction was to drop the stone and wipe the ants off on my pany leg, so now I had ants swarming up my leg, i tried to swat them all off, but I kept finding them for awhile. The majority of the "spots" are on my right wrist and forearm. Duh. Ant bites. But why do I have three spots on my forehead? I guess I might have brushed one across my forehead.

Here's my new gardening outfit.
 

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  • #38
Dunno how well it'd work, but you might see if you can find some old smudge pots --- fire plus stink might put off the feline interest in your yard. Haven't heard of anything that'll actually discourage mountain lions from exercising their prerogatives once they've decided on a territory, but haven't heard of anyone trying smudge pots either --- might drive you off as well. Construction companies, or "sign(age) services" might still have a few around --- nurseries and orchards'd be the other guess --- probably need a special dispensation from the EPA --- buy an ornamental orange and declare yourself a citrus grove.
 
  • #39
Have-a-hart sells noisy reciprocating sprinklers triggered by IR motion detectors. You could run garden hoses in seris from one to another and at least aim them outward from your back fence. They are noisy and will startle the cat and if he is within about 30' he'll get a little wet, too. The sprinklers are $29 each. I bought a different brand last year for almost $60 each, but they have kept the deer out of my garden, so they were well worth it. One 9V battery lasts the whole growing season, and they don't use much water since they only chatter away for a few seconds before entering the 8 second reset mode. Just a thought.

Don't hurt the kitty.
 
  • #40
turbo-1 said:
Have-a-hart sells noisy reciprocating sprinklers triggered by IR motion detectors. You could run garden hoses in seris from one to another and at least aim them outward from your back fence. They are noisy and will startle the cat and if he is within about 30' he'll get a little wet, too. The sprinklers are $29 each. I bought a different brand last year for almost $60 each, but they have kept the deer out of my garden, so they were well worth it. One 9V battery lasts the whole growing season, and they don't use much water since they only chatter away for a few seconds before entering the 8 second reset mode. Just a thought.

Don't hurt the kitty.
Now that's a thought, except my neighbors might get angry when they get near my fence. :smile: My psycho neighbor has his garden along the north side of my fence. I'd definitely install them on that side. :devil:

Bystander said:
buy an ornamental orange and declare yourself a citrus grove
:smile:
 
  • #41
I saw a badger outside the other night!
 
  • #42
badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger mushroom MUSHROOM

- Warren
 
  • #43
chroot said:
badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger mushroom MUSHROOM

- Warren


*snicker* *snicker*

Now that's going to be stuck in my head ALL day.

Thanks a bunch chroot
 
  • #44
chroot said:
badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger mushroom MUSHROOM

- Warren
No snake? That's my favorite part!
 
  • #45
Evo said:
Aaarrrggghhhh! Those have destroyed my rosebushes this year! You cannot kill the suckers.
I wish I could send you my neglect-proof, imortal rose bush. No matter how much I ignore it, it won't die. Maybe it's locust-proof as well.
 
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  • #46
Evo said:
Aaarrrggghhhh! Those have destroyed my rosebushes this year! You cannot kill the suckers.
These are the years I'm glad I rent and don't have to deal with maintenance of the yard. There's a ton of grasshoppers in addition to the crickets that were around last year. I think they're pretty cute, but that's because I don't have to worry about them eating the landscaping! :biggrin:

I haven't seen any crickets come inside this year with Ember around...I wonder if she's been supplementing her diet when I'm not around? :bugeye:

Hmmm...I don't know if I should ask this here or in the Disney thread, but it just occurred to me...does it bother anyone else that Jiminy Cricket isn't a cricket but a grasshopper? :biggrin: :smile:
 
  • #47
Evo said:
Aaarrrggghhhh! Those have destroyed my rosebushes this year! You cannot kill the suckers.


Ugh I hate grasshoppers. One year it was so dry that they were just everywhere. There were places on the highway where there were so many that it looked like the road was moving, walking through the hayfield they would be jumping all around you. I always hated riding my motorbike when they were that bad, I was getting pelted with them constantly...those things hurt at 100 km/h and sometimes they get in your clothes...ick. So glad they haven't been that bad again!
 
  • #48
Can I go out now, Mom? Please?
 
  • #49
Dr. Foofer said:
Can I go out now, Mom? Please?
It's been, like, two hours and Evo hasn't ansered her cat's quetion. Now I'll just be curious all night again as to whether or not she's been eaten.
 
  • #50
I was awoken this morning at 0330 by the sound of a owl hooting. That's one hazard we would have to worry about if were allowed our cats to roam at night.

Owls apparently hunt small rodents, and apparently skunks and possums, which are nocturnal, are favorites. The largest owls (Great Horned) could easily take a cat or small dog. According to what I've read about the 'hooting', it was likely a male Great Horned Owl that I heard last night making his territorial claim.

Evo, I hope your days are going better.

For ant bites, topical Benadryl is good. Oral Benadryl (diphenhydramine HCl - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine) is good also if the reactions to a bite (bites) are stronger than the topical can handle. It is also a sedative and sleep aid, so one must use caution if one is using other aids.
 
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  • #51
I thought that mountain lions were great pets.

http://www.chrisklug.com/uploads/OH-Zoo-CK-&-cat-web.jpg
 
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  • #52
Andre said:
I thought that mountain lions were great pets.
Until they bight. I've seen people with leopards, jaguars and other exotic pets. I really don't know how well the cats do. They have to be well fed and given space to run.
 
  • #53
Dr. Foofer said:
Can I go out now, Mom? Please?
Foofer! So you're the one that's been placing all those online orders.
 
  • #54
Evo said:
Foofer! So you're the one that's been placing all those online orders.
um.. yeah, ok... so I borrowed your credit card. But I wasn't being totally selfish. I got some nice stuff for you, too. Remember the Omaha Steaks?
 
  • #55
So, I'm thinkin' the mountain lion ate Evo while she was logged on to PF, and, out of loneliness, Dr. Foofer has assumed her identity in a kind of Anthony Perkins, split personality fashion.
 
  • #56
zoobyshoe said:
So, I'm thinkin' the mountain lion ate Evo while she was logged on to PF, and, out of loneliness, Dr. Foofer has assumed her identity in a kind of Anthony Perkins, split personality fashion.

Actually, I'm pretty sure Dr. Foofer has had plans of world domination for some time now. The assumption of power in the Evo household is surely just the first step.

- Warren
 
  • #57
Never was a lion --- it was Foofer.
 
  • #58
Foofer does have a criminal record.
 
  • #59
Andre said:
I thought that mountain lions were great pets.

http://www.chrisklug.com/uploads/OH-Zoo-CK-&-cat-web.jpg


Until they weigh more than you, sure. Why not?
 
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