Cat vs. Mountain Lion

A sliding glass door was the only thing that stood between a house-cat named Zeus, and a mountain lion in Boulder, CO. Zeus's owner, Gail Loveman, heard a strange noise when she was in her home office and came out to investigate. Zeus followed her and they were both surprised to see a mountain lion on the porch. The 11 year-old Maine Coon cat got into an epic stare-down with the large predator. Her other cat, Bacchus, peeked his head in, but decided he was better off staying in the hallway. Loveman grabbed her camera and started snapping away until the big cat left after about five minutes. Zeus, who is a large cat himself, is pretty aggressive and hisses at other smaller animals (like squirrels) he sees through the glass door. But he kept his manners with the mountain lion and remained calm. "I think he thought 'Hmmm! This is different,' " Loveman said. He knows who's boss.

The foothills of Boulder have a healthy mountain lion population and although encounters with humans are rare, they can occur. Unfortunately, our pets are easy targets for them. I used to work at a veterinary clinic and let me tell you the best way to keep your kitty safe is to not let it outside at all. If you have a dog, invest in a very tall fence. Responsible pet owner = happy pet.