TIGARD, Ore. — What was initially reported by city officials as a cougar sighting at Cook Park in Tigard turned out to be a house cat, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).
In a post on social media Thursday evening, the city of Tigard told the public about a report of a cougar spotted at the park on Southwest 92nd Avenue, near Tigard High School. City officials asked people to be aware of their surroundings and to make sure their dogs are leashed. The city said it alerted Tigard police and ODFW.
ODFW said Friday morning that there was no cougar at the park, but rather, someone spotted a house cat. The agency shared a video of the cat on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"How do we know it was a house cat not a cougar? The video is grainy but the #1 indicator is its size compared to the tree and compost/garbage bin," ODFW said in the post. "Also the fence is likely 6 foot which puts the cat at less than 1 foot in height."
In the thread, the agency also said the color of the animal in the video better matches that of a house cat rather than a cougar.
"Also, the coloration — it’s not the right tan and looks more like an orange house cat. You’d be surprised how often other animals (dogs, house cats, coyotes, bobcats) are reported as cougar sightings," ODFW said.
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