Rural DUers--help my mom and I identify this mystery animal:

[BlueIris]

all my mother knows about it is that when she pointed a flashlight in its eyes a few nights back, "they were blue in the dark." Oh, and that she thinks the animal is about the size of a cat, maybe a little larger.

My parents live in Western Oregon, (Willamette Valley) about three miles outside of a biggish city. On a big hill, surrounded by pine trees. Any guesses?

[Hugin]

1. Could've been a bobcat...

I'd put up a pix of one... But, I don't have
the bandwidth right now.

Bobcats range all over the west and they vary in
size between large domestic cat size to the size
of a medium dog.

I had to stop in the road for one the other day.
First one I'd seen in the wild.

[BlueIris]

2. That would be ungood.

My mom loves cats of all sizes, and has oftern joked about getting a pet tiger.

[Hugin]

3. Are you worried she would try to adopt it?

No worries... Bobcats are very aloof of people and
also very territorial.

If that is what the animal was... After it was spotlighted
it's probably long gone.

Now, pumas... Don't mess with pumas.

[BlueIris]

19. Yes, I am worried she would try to adopt it.

Or at least make friends with it. My mother has this nutty delusion that being a cat person means being able to be friends with all cats.

[Robb]

4. Bobcat a good guess.

Mountain lion/cougar a little less common, but not impossible:


Or, a large house cat not unlikely either. :)

[Hugin]

9. The bobcat I saw was more of a light sandy color all over...

Not as spotted as the cat in your picture. (Thanks
for posting... BTW)

Interesting animals!

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

5. most likely the president

[murielm99]

6. Oscar???

[supernova]

7. lol

:D

Good one, muriel. :thumbsup:

[redqueen]

18. That's what I wanted to say.

:D

[Bossy Monkey]

8. Here's the list

http://www.mammalsociety.org/statelists/ormammals.html
Unfortunately, "eyes fluoresce blue" didn't return any hits, but maybe a more talented wordsmith can come up with a better phrasing.

[Hugin]

10. Thanks for the link!

I want to see a "Pacific Jumping Mouse" cam!

Really I do!

Hey, it could've been a Lynx she saw! There's only
12 known there, but, wouldn't that be neat!

[BlueIris]

17. Oooh. One was reported escaped in a town hear here last month.

It had been someone's pet. That would also be ungood. See above.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

11. Probably a chupacabra

The elusive Mexican goat-sucker.

[Hugin]

12. I hope they have some chupacabra repellant...

*NOW* in the convenient ozone friendly spray bottles
and towelettes.

;)

[BlueIris]

21. Hee. I wonder if our local natural foods' store has that? nt

[TransitJohn]

13. My guess

is pine martin.

[NV Whino]

14. It's probably a possum

I once mistook a possum for my blue point Siamese. It was on my porch (late at night and dark) eating walnuts. I couldn't figure out why my cat was eating walnuts. Next night I used a flashlight and discovered it was a possum. Eye tend to reflect blue when light is shined on them.

[yewberry]

15. Maybe opossum or mountain beaver

Y'know, for years I thought that my husband was making up the existence of an animal called a 'mountain beaver'--it just seems so unlikely.

They are, however, real after all, and common in Oregon. Nasty little things, too.

[blindpig]

16. feral cat

one of those blue eyed suckers.

[DS1]

20. Oscar has been found!

[In_The_Wind]

22. what's with

Oscar




dazed and confused again what else is new ...

[Bossy Monkey]

23. You asked for it...

I give you...
the legendary...
Oscar thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=624815
(usually cited as the funniest thread ever on DU)