Just pushing throught the Seattle Times this morning and came across a fun article about living with urban wildlife. Alas, some notable fodder for the continuing hot topic; coyotes vs. cats.
“So far this year, Link’s office has received more than 700 calls about coyotes. The biggest misconceptions about them, he says, are that they eat nothing but cats and they carry rabies. Neither is true. Coyotes prefer to eat smaller mammals such as mice, rats, birds and their eggs (Canada goose eggs are a favorite). They attack cats only because they are competitors for the same prey.
To prevent conflicts, remove all food sources, including compost, unsecured bird feeders, water sources and pet food. “Don’t make food and shelter available to wild animals,” he said.”
I never read the PI, so thanks for passing that along. We saw one on 13th & Roy at 11PM a few weeks ago.
Sorry, I wish your comment was correct that coyotes do not kill cats; however, I have first-hand knowledge that the opposite is true. I lived next to a truly stupid pet owner in Colorado, and she would put her declawed cat outside every night. I would be awakened by horrible cat yowling and I’d race outside to find a coyote trying to catch the cat. It was hiding under cars in the parking lot, since it did not have any claws to climb a tree. I’d chase off the coyote and the cat would run away. I spoke to the owner on the 3rd day and she got quite nasty with me; she thought I was truly stupid to think coyotes were a danger to cats. On the 5th day, a pack of 3 coyotes managed to pull the cat from under a vehicle and killed it in a horrible way. Dogs kill cats; why is it difficult to believe that hungry coyotes won’t turn to them for food also. PLEASE, don’t leave your cats outside!!
I live in Monterey, CA. There is a condomium complex with a lot of vacant, grassey land in the back. My cat (a large male) likes to run up there and play in the fields. My neighbors have seen him behind their property running free in the field. Last Friday night he didn’t come home. It’s been over a week now and no sign of him. He was about 12 lbs. Could a wild coyote have gotten him? No one in the neighborhood has seen him since.
I have lived at my boyfriends townhouse for 7 years and in those 7 he has lost his two cats,we have coyotes in the greenbelt behined our place.I have seen the coyetes walk up the sidewalk late at night and after his last cat came missing animal parts were found a couple doors down.In addition at our mailboxes I see tons of missing cat posters displayed,but I never see cats dead on the road!
Since then we have adopted 4 cats we keep them indoors I do allow them to go outside but only on a leash (It is hard to teach a cats to wlk on one but they love it lol)
If cats are competion then the coyotes are on a rampage!