Fisher cat in MA? (Bedford, Medfield: office, dinner, island)

[bassetpup]

Hi all i am new to the board, I googled fisher cat and came across this site, Right now i am near Gardner mass and just saw one in the upper field near the kennel! I am hoping it does not come down in the field more, I am dog sitting for 17 Borzoi's and i hope it stays out of Kennels, This is a very nice site!

[findingmesomeday]

Yes. I also live in Norfolk County and one did get my elderly kitty a few years ago when she got out of the house. I hear their screams fairly often.

[in_newengland]

I saw a cougar over twenty years ago in this area, and it's scream was like that described in this thread. They have been sighted in this area by numerous, reliable people, and in the Quabbin area this year, and in the past, even though Fish & Wildlife claim there are none present.

You mean to say the officials still don't believe there are cougars out there? About 20 years ago someone I knew saw one on her stone wall in her backyard near Quabbin. It definitely was not a bobcat. Didn't mean to hijack this thread--back to fisher cats.

[NadjaBreton]

My parents live in Western Mass. and I've definitely heard that scream at night. It is incredibly creepy.

As for cougars, about 10 years ago, I went for a walk in the woods and 15 minutes in, I saw the back-end of a large cat-like creature with a long greyish tail. I stopped dead in my tracks and waited until it walked out of sight. Then I ran like hell! I definitely think it was cougar. I'm very glad it didn't see me... or more likely, choose not to acknowledge my presence.

[suff4ingirl]

Yes. Fisher cats are coming back and populating Massachusetts. I live in Milford, Mass and have sighted one 4 years ago. There continue to be more sightings. Protect your pets. They travel swiftly. They tend to have very large paws, a small head with a snout and are about the size of a small to medium dog. They are very strong. They tend to stay near waters edge.

[Lepetitestudio]

I heard a fisher cat last night here in Northborough, MA and called the police because I did not know what it was at the time. The police said they have been getting many calls of a child like scream in the woods around here and he thought it was a fisher cat.

[dem3456]

There was a fisher cat sighting in Foxboro when I was there a couple of years ago. It was up in a tree in someone's backyard that bordered on a surprisingly small patch of woods and wetland (I guess they don't need a very big habitat). The Animal Control got it, but the picture they had in the paper was scary.

My grandparents claim to have seen something like a fisher cat a few weeks ago in Ashland crossing the road.

On a side note, thats interesting to know that there are reported sightings of cougars in Massachusetts. I was surprised when I found out a few years ago that they are considered extinct in the northeast because I had always thought that they inhabited the region, even though I or anyone I know have never seen one. I think Fish & Wildlife needs to reinvestigate.

[KarynO]

I live in NH and that blood curdling scream is a fisher cat... I had that experience myselft and it sounded like a woman being brutally murdered...they are nasty!

[bosphi]

My son lives in No. Mass and is very much the outdoors person. The last 3 years he has trapped for furs and has caught many fisher cats. The fur is very thick and soft this time of year and can be very valuable, as much as $60 t0 $90 dollars each if it is processed correctly. They are not dangerous to humans but will prey on small dogs or cats. Generally they live on small animals and rodents. The fur is often used in place of mink which are more scarce that fishers and more difficult to catch. The scream often heard at night is their way of marking their territory.

[mytimenow]

I hope the babies keep safe! One of my siblings has seen fisher cats on his property in Sutton for many years now and there was a big article in the Cape Cod Times last year (?) about how they are on cape cod now. I guess they have come back with a vengeance!