Apparently we have more exciting varmints than squirrels roaming the alleys. Seen a coyote in your backyard lately?
Neighbor Susan has built NWCoyotetracker.com to track sightings. If you’ve seen a coyote in your neighborhood, let Susan know and she’ll add a pin to her map project. While we don’t want to encourage witch hunts, we are all for any effort to record and report. Coyotes in the city — as long as they don’t eat your housecat or your kid — are an amazement.
Should we be afraid? The truth is in the numbers. So far, there are a paltry 6 entries on the coyote map.
Coyotes are really no threat to humans – even little humans. Pets, maybe.
I have now spotted some other new critters in the area: BUNNIES! Hopping in and around the grounds/park of Lowell School. So the coyotes will have some tasty eatin’! I guess they were looking for greener pastures outside of Woodland Park.
Hi, thanks for the link! I just want to repeat the idea that my site is in no way intended to be a witch hunt.I was a little concerned that people might take it that way. I have had so many neighbors trading information about sightings and behaviour, I thought it would be interesting to organize this information online. There has been alot of concern for pet safety, as was reflected in the recent Seattle Times article. I hope to post more observations, if they are out there!
Just added my sighting from last weekend. Crazy to see the guys running up a city street – I grew up in Colorado on the edge of a canyon and lost many a cat to the wiley guys – so pet owners beware!
I’m excited that there are coyotes running around my neighborhood. Has anyone heard any, in addition to seeing them?
Coyotes are certainly a threat as my neighbor’s cat was killed by one, possibly two behind our house. We have been seeing their scat there for some time but did not realize they were a danger. Many of my neighbors have seen them in their backyards and near their Arboretum den. One neighbor’s dog was attacked by two coyotes as their dog was too close to their den. Another neighbor and her dog were followed by a few in the same area. Most people do not know of this site which is probably why there are few sitings. I will pass this site on so we can get real about what is in our backyards.
There is no reason to put your cat outside. This is a perfect example of what can happen. Keep your cats inside, Please!!
Shehrry_Bobbins,
There certainly IS a reason to let your cats outside. They’re virtually wild animals. Would you want to be cooped up all the time if you were a carnivorous hunter? Outside cats are happier, less neurotic and fitter than inside cats. That said, there is of course more risk. It’s a question of balancing quality of life to quantity of life and people different rational conclusions.
Cats do of course have a significant impact on bird populations, but that’s a different discussion.
Actually I meant ‘inside/outside’ cats. Ideally I’d like to give them to freedom to come and go as they please. But it sounds like I’m going to have to stop letting them out for a couple hours in the morning.