Natural causes killed cougar

Photo: Ashlee Chartrand

A cougar that was found dead in Coldstream Park earlier this year died of natural causes.

The big cat was caught on video wandering through the green space on Nov. 7, but the next day park staff found the animal dead in the bushes.

A necropsy was conducted and Conservation Officer Mike Richardson said the cat was not poisoned as some had speculated.

“The cat was sick. It had a gastrointestinal condition which also caused a mild heart condition which caused fluid to build up in its lungs and it succumbed to that,” said Richardson.

“It's just like humans I guess. They get sick every once in a while.”