Thu
Mar 25 2010
10:55 am
Bobcat in an urban edge environment
By: bizgrrl

Once again I was visiting Lakemoor Hills in the South Side of town, South off of Alcoa Highway. When to my surprise while rinsing a dish in the kitchen sink and looking out the window to the backyard, there was a bobcat just 10-20 feet from the house. I had Gracie, the new pup, with me, thus I could not run outside to get a better look and I couldn't really leave her inside with my host for fear she would be a little too rambunctious.

The bobcat walked toward the front of the house, when I decided to go out front and peer around back. My presence apparently encouraged the bobcat to return to the backyard. He/she walked around a bit, sat and posed, then left up through the back woods to destinations unknown.

National Park Service Bobcat photo

It is yet to be determined if a decent picture was taken, we only had one of those disposable film cameras. Several pictures were attempted, we'll see once the film is sent to be developed.

I believe this is a first for me. What a pleasant surprise. It is always a wonder to visit that little section of Knox County, with all of the trees it's usually 8-10 degrees cooler than other less treed areas and has quite interesting bird watching opportunities.

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R. Neal's picture

Only had a disposable

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 11:06am.

Only had a disposable camera?

You had a Droid in your purse, and a Nikon DSLR in your car. Sheesh. Gotta be photo-ready at all times over there.

bizgrrl's picture

Pfffttt!!!

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 2:38pm.

Only had a disposable camera?

Pfffttt!!!

Tess's picture

That is amazing!

Submitted by Tess on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 11:23am.

I haven't seen any bobcats out my way, and don't really want to, up close and personal. Through the window is nice, though.

Mello's picture

chickens?

Submitted by Mello on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 11:37am.

Are there chickens in that neighborhood?

When we lived in the foothills outside of Yosemite we had a bobcat that came to the house about the same time each day. I thought it was awesome until the day I had a very surprising and too close encounter then it was the meanest and ugliest thing I ever saw.

bizgrrl's picture

I'm pretty sure there are no

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 2:42pm.

I'm pretty sure there are no chickens within at least 2 miles of this house. There are lots of other small animals, squirrels, rabbits, opossums, and raccoons.

Yes, I would not want a close encounter except through the window. I believe in the wild part of wild animal.

WhitesCreek's picture

Wow, I'm jealous...

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 3:21pm.

I've never seen one in the daylight but I've seen several of them at night. They mainly eat rat and rabbit sized prey but can take larger animals. Right now is about the end of the mating season which may explain the daytime roaming. They usually move in the crepuscular hours near dawn and dusk.

If you haven't heard a bobcat scream you really don't know what it means for the hair to stand up on the back of your neck. They do this during mating season apparently. I love to hear it but even after all the times I've heard it I still get that weird feeling for the first few seconds.

bizgrrl's picture

I'd probably jump out of my

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 3:56pm.

I'd probably jump out of my boots (if I wore boots) if I saw a cat that size at night. Night screams are too scary. I'll never forget the first time we heard a coyote wailing at night. We thought someone was in great pain.

R. Neal's picture

Heh. He said "crepuscular."

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 3:59pm.

Heh. He said "crepuscular."

But seriously, I had never heard that word before today when the Mrs. was researching bobcats, and now I've heard (well, heard and seen) it twice. Learn something almost every day.

WhitesCreek's picture

Ha!

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 5:48pm.

Now try to casually drop it in conversation with someone who isn't a herpetologist.

R. Neal's picture

Heh. He said "herpetologist."

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 5:52pm.

Heh. He said "herpetologist."

jmcnair's picture

Yikes!

Submitted by jmcnair on Thu, 2010/03/25 - 9:32pm.

Better let the cat back in the house...

goose creek's picture

displacement

Submitted by goose creek (not verified) on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 7:07am.

Considering the timing, I think its likely that the bobcat was displaced from the woods that are being cleared to build ever more condos off cherokee trail.

bizgrrl's picture

For some reason I did not

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 8:45am.

For some reason I did not relate the growth on Cherokee Trail, but it could be a factor. I'm very familiar with the area and have never seen a bobcat there before.

WhitesCreek's picture

I suspect you've had bobcats

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 9:53am.

I suspect you've had bobcats all along. They are really good at not being seen. Most times this is what tips you off that a bobcat is in the area. Note the difference between that and this, which is far more common.

Here's a web reference I use a good bit for tracks and scat.

(link...)

bizgrrl's picture

Well, that's just yucky. Some

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 10:05am.

Well, that's just yucky. Some of it looks like dog poop and I don't know that I'll be leaning over to get a better look.

WhitesCreek's picture

Aw, now...

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 10:53am.

Some naturalist you're turning out to be. :>)

Actually, you just wait. I'll bet that the next time you're out walking on a trail...

goose creek's picture

Cherokee Trail

Submitted by goose creek (not verified) on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 7:22pm.

The bobcat probably had a happy life way up in the woods. Then, when the bulldozers came (s)he got discombobulated. To bad it didn't head in the other direction and make its way to the new wilderness corridor. But I can't see a cat wanting to go past all those condos.

WhitesCreek's picture

Bobcats are doing rather well

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Fri, 2010/03/26 - 7:44pm.

Bobcats are doing rather well in the urban edge. They got rats, cats, frou frou dogs, and shrubbery.

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