BY KAREN BOSSICK

Idaho Fish and Game officers trapped and euthanized a yearling female mountain lion this week after the lion was reported to have killed a pet cat.

The attack occurred within a six-foot-tall, fenced backyard in a backyard of a residence south of Ketchum. The owner let the cat outside and, within minutes, the lion entered the yard and grabbed the cat.

The lion—a 70-pound female--was tracked from the backyard to Highway 75 when the tracks could no longer be followed, said Terry Thompson, communications manager for Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region.

One person did manage to get a brief video of a lion in the Cold Springs area south of the Meadows Trailer Park that day.

Officers decided to set a trap at the residence to protect the safety of area residents and their pets on Wednesday, Dec. 18, because the lion had entered a fenced backyard and killed the pet. The lion was trapped later that day and euthanized.

The cat's owner wanted to make sure that people know she did not notify Idaho Fish and Game about the incident because she has been getting derogatory comments.

"I didn't call Fish and Game--the police did. I hate to lose my cat and hear everyone b--ing about me. I was face to face with the lion killing my cat. Everyone needs to chill a bit."

Fish and Game officers contend it was necessary to put the lion down.

“As with any decision that we are faced with to trap and put an animal down, our staff have to make the hard call to protect area residents and their pets,” said Craig White, Regional Supervisor of the Magic Valley Region. “We don’t take these decisions lightly, but ultimately our responsibility is to protect public safety. When a mountain lion exhibits aggression towards people or their pets within the confines of a fenced yard we need to take appropriate actions.”

This summer and fall has been full of incidents involving bears from the relocation of a tiny black bear cub that walked 120 miles over 17 days from the wilderness near Salmon to Hailey to this week’s decision to relocate a bear cub that was hanging out in downtown Ketchum.

But the last mountain lion reports came in January and February 2024. In January a mountain lion attacked two dogs in an East Fork neighborhood. The dogs’ owner was able to intervene to save the dogs. An adult female mountain lion was trapped and euthanized a few days earlier after it killed 11 chickens, two geese, six ducks and a house cat in an animal enclosure in north Hailey.

Mountain lion sightings were reported in Ketchum in February but those lions were not known to have attacked any pets.

Those who come across a lion should:

NEVER run away from a mountain lion. The lion’s instinct is to chase and catch what they perceive as potential prey.

NEVER turn your back on a lion. Always face them while making yourself look as large as you can. Yell loudly, but don’t scream. A high-pitched scream may sound like a wounded animal.

SLOWLY back away while maintaining eye contact with the lion.

PROTECT YOURSELF by carrying bear spray and a noise device, like an air horn. If you walk in the dark, carry a very bright flashlight and leave ear buds, which would prevent you from hearing the lion, at home.

FIGHT BACK If you are attacked!

Mountain lions are opportunistic predators and will often attempt to take prey when it presents itself, said Thompson. A lion may perceive a pet as prey so pet owners are encouraged to:

Keep pets on a leash.

Watch your pets’ behavior, since they may sense the lion before you can see them.

Do not feed your pet outside or leave their food dishes outside. Lions will not typically be attracted by pet food, but the food could attract cats or wildlife that could be considered prey by a lion.

Before letting your pet outside, turn on lights, make noise and look to ensure the yard is clear of wildlife. Do not assume that a privacy fence will keep a mountain lion out of your yard.

Accompany your pet outside if possible.

Report mountain lion sightings and encounters to the Magic Valley Regional Office at 208-324-4359. Call 911 immediately to report any encounter that results in an attack.