A Sandy man got a whiskered surprise Wednesday afternoon when a cougar made its way into his garage.
The man discovered the animal about 3:30 p.m. Division of Wildlife Resources officers used a tranquilizer gun to shoot the cougar, a male estimated to be about 2 years old and 130 pounds, loaded it into a cage and returned it to the wilds up one of the canyons, division spokesman Scott White said.
It is unknown how the cat made into garage of the house at 9878 S. 2270 East, White added. The house is in the midst of a regular neighborhood about 1/2 mile from the nearest open space or canyon access, White said.
Typically cougars don't stray out of mountain areas where they are close to deer, which are the cats' primary prey. Most cougars that turn up in residential areas are about 2 years old, the age when they are pushed out to establish their own territory, White said.
Cougars are solitary animals, who only live together from birth to age 2 and during the mating season, he said.