On occasion, all wild animals go a little crazy. What with all the fires driving them out of their homes, the drought making life tough for them too, and other issues...maybe an over-protective mother?...it happens sometimes. Usually bobcats are very shy, but they are certainly capable of being fierce for their size. I'm sorry to hear one went berserk, as things like this always trigger an overreaction and put all bobcats in peril.

NOT making light of it. I sure wouldn't want one to attack me or mine. Just acknowledging that things happen, and we don't always understand that there might have been a reason. (Like maybe the dog getting too close to where her babies were. I had a domestic but feral cat go for my throat once for that reason.)

I think all our wildlife is very stressed right now, as are most of us human residents. The heat, the awful dry wind, the lack of rain, the smoke from the fires, etc. It all adds up to a very tense situation.

Marcia

You sure are right about that! Every creature is stressed now with the wind, drought and fires. And I sure don't want a man hunt on bob cats, but for those that thought I should just let them walk through my city yard, not a rural area, I posted that info.

Thanks for the info, Katkin...not sure what the purpose though.
Like Marcia said, it happens, most often for a reason...
Olya

The purpose of the post was to show why I have the "mentality" not to want these and other wild creatures in my garden.

I understand completely, Katkin. I don't want a bobcat in my actual yard, either. Sometimes wildlife and humans can co-exist peacefully, and sometimes it's better to have at least a BIT of a buffer between them, to avoid confrontations just like the one you mention. I'm not blaming the bobcat OR the person. It was a run-in that turned ugly, and I don't wish it on either a wild animal OR a person. Both are at a disadvantage when they meet head on, sometimes.

I would love to see bobcats regularly, IF I lived in the country and they were seen as they made their way from one wooded area to another, for instance. In my suburban yard, I think the possiblity of harm coming to the bobcat, my animals or myself is too high. Many critters are welcome to dwell inside my fence, but I'd prefer the bobcats stay a bit farther away. For both their safety and mine.

Marcia

Was that on TV or the news paper? I don't get a news paper any more and didn't see it on the TV.
We use to have one in our neighbor hood but there is 60 some acres across from me so that's OK by me! Ofcourse I have to walk my dogs on a leash but I keep my eyes open for hawks and Bob Cats.

It was on this morning's news on TV.

Here's the bob cat story: Bob Cat Story

Leaves me wondering what would have happened if she had just let go of it? Or just let the cat go after the dog, or the dog after the cat, whichever the case may be. Seems like it may have been an inappropriate intervention on her part, or failure to yield the area to a dangerous animal, or maybe the cat was just rabid and crazed.

Years ago, my dog got out and went after something in the woods, and my dad took off after the dog. He finally caught up to the dog which had a bob cat cornered. The dog didn't have the sense to let up but my dad did, he let "nature take its course" and the dog lived, the cat got away and they didn't have any more run-ins.

Maybe this lady could have handled the situation differently, maybe not, but it is a tell tale sign of our continued encroachment on wildlife.

Well, I wasn't there and didn't see how it went down, but my first instinct would have been to grab my dog and BACK OFF quickly. However, perhaps that wasn't an option for some reason. But you are right, Melissa. The more we move into their territory, the more encounters we have with them, and the more difficult it becomes to find a way to co-exist.

I suspect in this case, the cat saw the dog as a threat, either to her or to a litter nearby, and went for it. I can't imagine grabbing the cat by the throat, myself. As I say, I would have grabbed my dog and made a run for it, and most likely, unless it WAS rabid, the cat would have left, too.

Marcia

Yes, well, all we know is her version of the story, don't forget. I would be very surprised if the dog weren't barking and lunging at the poor thing or possibly even 'sicced' on the cat first, unless of course, it's rabid, which is a real possibility, too.

I'd still like to hear the bobcat's version of events, though.

Unfortunately, the bobcat had to be euthanized to be tested for rabies. So sad.

It's scary that the bobcat would attack the lady and her dog. As people encroach more and more on wild animals habitats, these kinds of things will continue to occur. It's sad though that they put the bobcat down. Guess they did it 'cause they suspected rabies otherwise I'd say they should have trapped it and released far into the woods.

you know, when I see a sign 30 feet from a children's playground (next to a small lake): DO NOT MOLEST OR FEED THE ALLIGATORS!)I draw the line.

If they want the wildlife to roam freely,then the government needs to buy our homes and give this area back to them.

I never, ever want to think of my children being confronted with any wild animal in our home:whether it's a bobcat, an alligator, a raccoon, opposum, I don't care, they all carry nasty diseases and I think we've gone too far : either get rid of half the homes in the area and give the land back to the animals or give homeowners the protection(culling the population,whatever is needed) to be in their own back yards,safe.

We are trying to have it all and I am sorry but being attacked by a bobcat in a city, something needs to give.

teeka

Thank you, Teeka. :o) My point exactly!

Well if you want to cull the population, I would guess you'd better start with people first. Afterall, isn't it too many people that are the cause of encroaching on wildlife? You mention children, so I suppose you are part of the problem of increasing the population.

I don't agree at all with your sentiment and frankly if you don't want to encounter any wildlife, sell your home among the trees and parks and find a nice 20 story condo building in the middle of a business district somewhere that is devoid of all trees and vegetation. Only problem is you probably will still have to deal with pigeons and other birds.

This seems to be getting ugly and I am sorry for that. In a rural area is one thing, but these animal don't belong in the city. People will only get hurt and then the animal is destroyed. It is a lose/lose situation. If one of your loved ones or pet was attacked I think you would feel differently. And I know Marcia and Felix who just had grandbabies, wouldn't agree that they shouldn't be part of the population explosion.

We used to all be friends, at least I thought, and tollerent of others beliefs. I just don't think a bob cat or allergator belongs in the city.

As a groomer, I've been up close and personal with nasty cats. What I can't figure out is how she had the b*lls to grab the cat by it's neck. I'd be running (faster than if I saw a snake!)
I don't think the prob is a people one. We had alot of critters coming thru our yard when they tore down the woods for yet another WALGREEN'S!!!!!!!because the closest one is 1 mile away????
That said, I'm more likely to have problems with outside pet cats and kids in my sub division....but that's another post.

What minibim said.

Culling the population to make room for more cities and concrete...well, this is the thinking that got us where we are: Earth's species are dying out at an alarming rate. Scary.
70 % of scientists believe we are early stages of a human-caused mass extinction, according to a 1998 survey of 400 biologists [wikipedia]

The "me syndrome"...We are leaving tiny patches of land for wildlife to exist, often cut in half by highways.
Urban sprawl is the worst for the wildlife....and with high gas prices, we are all now paying for it.

Learn to make peace with wildlife, and please leave poor opossums alone (who, rarely transmit diseases to humans, and are surprisingly resistant to rabies - I can cite sources)

Katkin, I am sorry but your wanting to discuss this article to me had no purpose rather than to start a mass hysteria of some sort. Of course it was going to get ugly.
It happens: sad encounters between wildlife and people. And who knows what prompted the bobcat to attack - the dog getting to close to babies is a very reasonable thought.
You know, just as often on the news, one can read of a guy working on the roof, falling off, impaling himself on his own tools and killing himself. Point made, bad accidents happen - no need to start freaking about bobcats, or home improvement tools, for that matter.

And...Who are we to decide who belongs where?!

Lets talk gardening only; clearly, there are some profound differences between a lot of us on this forum. It is normal.
Olya

Ok people, let's stop jumping to conclusions and getting this story all wrong. According to the Tallahassee Democrat she was interfering in an animal vs. animal fight. The cat didn't just attack the human for no reason; she chose to step in the middle. The same thing would have happened if she had tried to interfere in a domestic cat vs. domestic dog fight.

Also, she wasn't in her neighborhood, she was at the local nature park. Betton Hills Nature Park. Check it out: Betton Hills

A place designed for wildlife.

Thanks, nativemel...
Easy to see how mass hysteria can start with half the story told ;-)

Olya

Here is a good article
http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080513/NEWS01/805130314/1010

I like what the woman (the one attacked) says at the end:
"I felt really horrible about the animal having to be killed," Grace said, "Because we're the ones that have invaded their habitat."

Fact, ladies and gentlemen, and please cite your sources.
Yup, I work in academia.
Olya

I hope everyone will take a deep breath and step back a bit from this whole topic. Katkin, I don't think you posted trying to start an argument. That's not your style, normally. I think you were concerned about the animals you saw in your yard and the potential for danger.

Olya & Minibim, I agree in theory that we are the cause of the problems because we have forced the animals into smaller and smaller zones in which to live. Most larger animals (especially felines) have a very large territory (more than a mile, believe me) and need that much space to live. With all the construction and large population we have in this state, there are BOUND to be conflicts.

This is not an easy to fix problem. I can see both viewpoints. Yes, I'm proud of my new grandbaby, and feel she has every right to grow up in Florida among all the things most of us love here, including our native wildlife and wilderness areas. It is up to her parents (and her Granny) to teach her to love and respect wildife, and how to be safe around it. We do have to learn how to co-exist with these animals we share land with.

Mostly it is about education. Learning more about what animals need to survive and how it fits in with what WE need to survieve. How to live and let live without endangering our children and animals.

No need to panic when you read that a confrontation occured. Just figure out what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future. Now that I know the woman and her dog were in an area set aside for wildlife, it makes a lot more sense. The bobcat was defending its territory and perhaps its family. And if it was in an area protected for it, it was natural and understandable for it to do so. What a shame that it had to be destroyed for this perfectly normal behavior.

Katkin, a bobcat in the yard in an urban area is another matter altogether, and as I said before, I would not want to find one in my backyard. I wouldn't KILL it, of course, but I would certainly try to encourage it to move on, or try to find out the best way to trap and relocate it.

I think the important thing to remember is that each incident is different. Encounters with bobcats are RARE because they are by nature shy animals. But common sense should prevail when a confrontation DOES occur, and possibly everyone can come out of it unharmed...including the bobcat.

And please, let's don't see hard feelings show up here as a result of discussing this. Olya, I think Katkin was within the loose guidelines we have all been following here, because she had a bobcat in her GARDEN. We have all been fine with discussing every aspect of Florida Gardening, including the critters we share our gardens with. Not everyone is as comfortable with wild animals as you or I might be, but we can all learn together how best to deal with these situations when they occur.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I'm no authority on any aspect of it, but I respect Katkin & understand her concern, and I respect Olya and understand (and share) her great love of our diverse wildlife. Can't we all try to see where the other person is coming from, and agree that there is no easy solution for this problem? We should be able to share our experiences and suggestions without it turning into either mass hysteria OR a socio/political soapbox. These are real issues that are not going to be easy to resolve, but working together is the best way to assure a good outcome for both people AND wildlife.

Marcia

Man, Marcia, I really admire your ability to be so diplomatic and make peace! Well done :)

Now, off to gardening talk :)
Olya

Aren't we all a little like cats and dogs? Different in our own ways but still loveable? :)

Here's my last comment on this thread...a somewhat related tip from my best friend who was a vet tech:

If it's a dog, don't let go. If it's a cat, always let go. Cat's (that are attacking) typically want to get away from you and will run from you. Dog's (that are attacking) typically want to get you and will not run from you. Neither of the foregoing standards applies to rabid animals.

Olya, I just "calls 'em as I sees 'em," and in this case, I see a tricky problem with no easy answers. Glad you understand! ;o)

Marcia

^ "cats" and "dogs", not "cat's" and "dog's". Duh!

I found that some of the comments were unkind and rude not at all the usual type of help coming from this forum. I had a wild and possibly dangerous animal in my city yard. He did not run at first but sat down looking at my dog until my husband yelled. I won't soon forget and I won't be moving to a condo either and my mentality will remain the same!

I live in an area where bobcats are fairly common. Perhaps they're shy by nature, but here they aren't very shy. I've seen them inside my fenced yard numerous times. None has ever tried to attack me. Most times the cat just meanders away when it sees me. Other times, he's ignored me while he finished his meal. I accidently walked right up on one a couple of weeks ago, finally saw it when I was very close, apologized profusely and backed away. The cat never moved. Wild doesn't mean nasty. Just wild. I'm not afraid of bobcats (I was at first, believe me), but I have great respect for them. They're not going to behave nicely if you bother them. Most humans don't either.

I think it's like most things that are unfamiliar. They scare us. If you spend some time learning about them, they become much less frightening.

As for where they belong, I'd have to say that's just not a choice as far as I'm concerned. Wild animals don't understand human boundaries. They laugh at my fence. I know very well that I'm the outsider where I live. The bobcats, snakes, possums, birds, bears and raccoons were here long before I was. And I sincerely hope, despite our interference, they stay.

Katkin, please don't be offended by my comments or others here. Some people love wildlife. Others prefer their wildlife at a distance. Both are quite respectable opinions.

Maureen

I just want to say, be glad you are not in the Naples/Ft. Myers area where panthers are becoming more common. If you're worried about a bobcat, a panther is 10x's worse to deal with because you or your pet might not get away.

And again, when you are taxing a fragile ecosystem, Mother Nature tends to flip the bird back at humans.

The only bobcat I've seen has been one running across Snake Road on the Seminole Res. The only panthers I've seen have been three crossing Janes Scenic Drive in Fakahatchee.

We do have regulations. Tell your reps to make DEP enforce them. Stop letting DEP permit their way out of every gorpher tortoise den that the builders want to develop.

I agree with you guys who are pro-nature and environment. It's true that we humans have to have our homes, stores, malls (I suppose), and so forth but it just doesn't seem right to keep on destroying more and more wild habitat to achieve these things. Whether or not you believe that global warming is real, wantonly ravaging the Earth without doing all we can to protect it can't be doing our planet any good. Okay, I'll get off my podium now. Have a great day.

I read in the paper today that the bobcat was indeed rabid. That explains a lot about its behavior.

Just goes to show as I have said in each of my posts, you don't always know what is going on in a confrontation, and each one is different and needs to be handled differently. Our needs versus those of our native wildlife are often in opposition to each other, and there are no EASY answers. Compromises will have to be made if both people and animals are to continue to co-exist happily and in safety, and we will have to think long and hard about how to accomplish these things.

Marcia

Yes, I love my grandbabies and yes I love wildlife.As the adult it is my responsibility to have my grandbabies in a safe enviroment. Accidents do happen and will not be a first.
We as gardeners find snakes all the time. They are all beneficial even the poisonous but we learn to garden with them. Humans are the most dangerous of all and as the Bible says,the tongue is the most unruly member. Next I will have to say is our posting. We can often destroy friendship by being rude. Treat your fellow GW as you would like to be treated when you post. As Elvis would say,dont be cruel!
Felix