A male cougar shot by police after it went into a Bossier City neighborhood did not appear ill, state wildlife officials said after completing a necropsy.

Maria Davidson, manager of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries large carnivore program, said the examination didn't find obvious medical problems. It could be several weeks before conclusive test results are completed, she said.

The cougar is rare in Louisiana. The one was killed Sunday afternoon as it came down a tree outside a house on Whittington Street after being shot with a tranquilizer dart. Wildlife agents said the animal was aggressive and asked police to kill it.

Tranquilizers don't take effect immediately, Davidson said, and the animal was probably reacting to the dart sting.

From wear on its paw pads, Davidson said the cougar probably was wild rather than escaped or released from captivity.

From The Associated Press