DENVER – A recent sighting of a bobcat in Arvada garnered a lot of attention on Facebook after Denver7 posted images of the cat stirring around a neighbor’s yard.
The photos, provided to Denver7 by LeBaron Photography, had some commenting on just how alarming the situation would be. "It would freak me out to see that in my yard, but it is a beautiful animal!" a Facebook comment went.
But, according to the Colorado Division of Wildlife, bobcats do not pose a serious threat to people. However, they can harm small pets and livestock.
Sightings in Colorado are rare as the mostly solitary animals tend to shy away from others. Their nocturnal nature also keeps them well hidden.
Bobcats are about twice the size of a typical house cat and are similar in size to a lynx. Both types of wild felines are found in Colorado.
DesertUSA.com offers the following tips on how to protect your yard from bobcats:
- Trim back excess vegetation that might otherwise provide cover
- Do not feed birds or other wildlife, which might attract bobcats
- Do not feed the bobcats
- Do not leave pet food or water outdoors
- Vaccinate your pets
- Keep pets indoors or in secure, protective cages or pens
- Consider a deterrent that generates electronic sounds that mimic the calls of bobcats' enemies, for instance, the hiss of a cougar
