SPOKANE, Wash. — A bobcat was caught roaming around a South Hill neighborhood on a ring doorbell camera Friday night.
The video was taken near Thurston Avenue and Perry Street.
Bobcats may be crossing over into suburban areas more often, but aren't commonly spotted due to their reclusive ways, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Depending on the location, it's not uncommon for wildlife to move through residential areas, said Staci Lehman, Communications Manager for the WDFW Eastern Washington Office.
"Areas like the Glenrose area and further south have wildlife that move through the area often that most people just don’t see because it’s after dark and most wild animals make an effort to avoid people," Lehman wrote in an email to KREM.
For those who spot wildlife in their neighborhood, or in areas where wildlife are becoming an issue, residents can report those animals to the WDFW by calling (509)-892-1001.
Although bobcats are relatively small compared to other wild cats, they can still pose a danger to dogs, cats and poultry, according to WDFW's website.
WDFW has several tips to follow to keep pets safe should a bobcat ever appear:
- Don’t feed wildlife. This includes deer, feral cats (domestic cats gone wild), and other small mammals. Remember predators follow prey.
- Prevent the buildup of feeder foods under bird feeders. Bobcats are attracted to the many birds and rodents that come to feeders.
- Feed dogs and cats indoors and clean up after them. If you must feed outside, do so in the morning or midday, and pick up food and water bowls, as well as leftovers and spilled food as soon as pets have finished eating. Water, pet food and droppings attract small mammals that, in turn, attract bobcats.
- Keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn. Left outside at night, small dogs and cats may become prey for bobcats (which have attacked cocker-spaniel-size dogs).
- Enclose poultry (chickens, ducks, and turkeys) in a secure outdoor pen and house. Bobcats will eat poultry if they can get to them.