RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. — A Smyrna resident is sounding the alarm after capturing what he believes to be a cougar on his home security camera early Sunday morning.
Bruce Fahnestock, who was alerted by his camera’s motion sensor around 4:15 a.m., was shocked when he reviewed the footage. “I pulled it up and long behold, my mouth fell open and I went, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s not a kitty cat,’” Fahnestock said.
Fahnestock is convinced that the large cat in the footage, which appeared to be about four to four and a half feet long not including the tail, is a cougar. He based his estimate on the size of his six-foot hot tub and the animal’s apparent size relative to it.
In addition to the footage, Fahnestock discovered droppings he believes were left by the animal. He noted similarities between this sighting and a cougar he once saw in West Texas. However, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) officials have expressed skepticism, suggesting that shadows might have distorted the animal’s size in the video. They are not convinced that it was a cougar.
According to the TWRA, there have been only ten confirmed cougar sightings since 2015, none of which were east of Humphreys County. Despite this, officials acknowledge that cougar sightings, while rare, are possible.
Fahnestock has alerted his neighbors, especially those with pets, small children, and farm animals, to remain vigilant. “The word needs to get out because if we start losing pets, there are going to be a lot of upset people if they find out nobody has reported it,” he warned.
The TWRA has a multi-step process for verifying cougar sightings. While they have not found evidence to panic over, they encourage residents to report any further sightings. The Nashville Zoo has also commented, noting that while cougars can climb fences, they generally do not walk along the tops of fences—a behavior more characteristic of domestic cats.
Fahnestock emphasizes the importance of awareness and safety, advising people to never run from a cougar but to maintain eye contact and back away slowly if confronted. “It kind of took my breath away,” he said. “It’s important to let people know when there is an unexpected danger in the neighborhood.”
