OMG kitten!!

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:47 am

Usually I bring my laptop when I check a camera, so I can view what I got right there and decide if I need to move the camera or not. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry (like last night) I just swap out the memory card, and wait till I get home. I have loads of video of bears in this spot, and didn't watch every single clip until this morning, so this was a total surprise. I haven't gotten a kitten on camera before, ever. Pretty excited. This one looks to be about 5-7 months old and is in the newly re-opened burn area. The next generation! Sweet. Too bad the video cuts off when it does - it's definitely possible there is more than one kitten.

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:53 am

Awesome! Care to speculate on the youngsters age? I forget when the local F. concolor typically spawn.

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:32 am

Elwood wrote: ↑Awesome! Care to speculate on the youngsters age? I forget when the local F. concolor typically spawn.

Can be any time of year, but is usually May - July. but this kiddo is too big, so he was "spawned" late fall, early winter 2010 I think.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:51 am

Very nice! I bow before your superior cat knowledge.

My first guess, though, was that this kitty is a yearling. Can they hang around mom for that length of time?

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:01 am

Mike P wrote: ↑Very nice! I bow before your superior cat knowledge.

My first guess, though, was that this kitty is a yearling. Can they hang around mom for that length of time?

Yes - I think up to two years (usually females will stick with mom the longest). It's tough to judge this guy with such grainy video. He seems to still have some spots, and moves like a young animal. I have a video of a deer fawn walking by the same spot, and they are about the same size. So - 40 to 50 pounds maybe? But you're the actual animal pro (I'm just an armchair enthusiast)!

Only walked by once in 6 weeks, so I don't know if I can get them again, but will give it a shot!

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 11:31 am

Also, if you ever wondered what it would look like to be mauled:

And for the odocoileus fans:

Post by **HikeUp** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 12:20 pm

Fantastic.

AW~ · Post by **AW~** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 1:49 pm

Excellent, but shivers me to think about being in the vicinity during those hours.

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:10 pm

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:00 pm

cougarmagic wrote: ↑ He seems to still have some spots, and moves like a young animal.

Ah-ha! That makes sense. When I saw the video I didn't see the spots

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:39 pm

major score!