Mom bobcat and three babies on our block - ?? (Arlington: house, neighborhood)

[deenie1]

We've been here a year and never had bobcat sitings like the last few weeks. My husband and I saw one in the park and my niece had one by her house in Frisco. We're in Plano near Spring Creek and Preston Meadow and I know they're all over and serve to keep the rabbit, rat and squirrel population in check....luckily I haven't had to see it. Yesterday I was out walking our two small dogs around the block and my daughter texted me a photo of the large bobcat sitting on our front steps, telling me not to come in the front door . We have a 22 lb dog and a 12 lb dog and they are indoor pets. I put them on a leash now to take them out to the bathroom but my one dog loves to lie down by the pool for a little while and I feel bad pulling him in. I know I have no choice but am I overreacting? I'm afraid to walk the dogs by myself now because I can't pick up the two dogs at the same time. They're always on regular 6 ft leashes but I don't know how aggressive these bobcats are. This bobcat is active during the day - I saw it at 4pm, the last sighting was at 5pm a few wks ago and the babies were out getting squirrels this morning! I know my larger dog will bark his head of if he sees one and attract a lot of attention to himself. One of our neighbors lost her Yorkie to a bobcat last year when the owner was only steps away (or so I was told). I talked to the Wildlife Coalition and they asked me if the cat looked healthy and to just make noise if it approaches. If the mother bobcat is raising her babies here, does it mean they'll stay forever? Will I need to let me dogs out on a leash in our fenced in yard forever? I'm assuming the answer is yes but I wanted to ask those who have been here a lot longer than I. TIA!

[oldoak2000]

It will probably move on (to somewhere else) in a couple days or so. Only reason you saw it because mother was staying nearby to babies who probably wandered into area during daylight. They are very shy and will leave as soon as they see you (babies may not be so bright yet) - just make a noise to shoo them away. They are invaluable to keep the vermin in check . . . .

[Rakin]

Bobcats eat mostly mice and rabbits. Your pets should not be a problem.

They are very shy and normally stay to themselves.

[MurphyPl1]

There are whole families of bobcats living in your neighborhood. Urban bobcats have adapted to our urban/suburban lifestyle. They scavenge food from trash bins and pet food left outside. They live under decks and drink from pools. As the head of a bobcat rescue said in a seminar I was in several years ago - they enjoy the same lifestyle we do.

And where rural bobcats are loners and keep a range of approximately 5 sq miles, urban bobcats keep to a range of about 1 sq mile and younger generations don't leave. It's entirely likely to have three generations in a neighborhood. And if you see one bobcat, there's likely a handful more you aren't seeing. Keep in mind that momma didn't knock herself up.

Tips on how to deal with bobcats:DFW Wildlife Coalition

[Gilah G.]

Murphy I remember spotting many bobcats out in your area when we lived there..I thought with all the construction today they would be less.

[MurphyPl1]

Nope. We've got a conversation going on our google group for the neighborhood right now about one that was hanging out on a neighbor's porch. Someone followed up that the coyote they saw trotting down the sidewalk might scare him off.

There's actually a lot of green space and creeks in this part of town that makes it easier for them to hang out.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

I see bobcats regularly in River Legacy Park in Arlington. They couldn't care less about people. The same goes for Coyotes. Here's a video a cyclist filmed at River Legacy that shows just how unconcerned they are with people:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGtnijq6C7o

So long as the cat isn't rabid, they don't really present much of a threat at all to humans. Your 12 pound dog is pretty small, so I won't say that it's impossible that a bobcat might see it as a meal, but I highly doubt that you need to be concerned with the length of the leash you walk your dogs on. The odds of a bobcat attacking your dog while it is on your leash seem long enough to ignore.