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| This bobcat was photographed by Jeanette Stone in her backyard near 119th & Cornell in October |
The Nature of Cedar Mill
Bobcat in the ‘hood
by Virginia Bruce
The other day, I received an email from one of my readers, along with a couple of photos. Jeanette Stone wrote:
“I am attaching a photo I took last evening around 6 pm. We live near 119th and Cornell. My son was sitting at the dining room table and spotted something “large” scampering up the tree, after a squirrel. I grabbed my camera and was able to get this picture of the bobcat. My husband tells me they are usually only found in the mountains, not in urban areas.
“We did call the non-emergency Washington County Sheriff’s number, and a deputy came out to check on it (kitty was LONG GONE by then...ha!) He had me put this photo on his flash drive, so he could show it to others. Along with the coyotes, this is another good reason to keep any eye out on our small house pets!”
Aside from that good advice, we asked the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife about bobcats in urban areas. Rick Boatner, who formerly worked at the Portland office on Sauvie Island, now works in Salem as an Invasive Species specialist. He says that it’s fairly unusual to see a bobcat this close to town. He says it’s always a good idea to make sure that pet food isn’t left outside. Bobcats only attack if cornered, and the Stones should treat this sighting as a rare privilege, not a threat.
A quick glance at a satellite map shows that there is a lot of tree cover in the area and a wildlife corridor that connects the Stone’s backyard to Cedar Mill Creek, Jordan Park and all the way up to Forest Park. The Portland Audubon Society’s wildlife rehab specialist Bob Salinger said that he’d recently heard of a bobcat sighting in the Miller Road area—maybe it’s the same one.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has a PDF publication on their website: Living with Wildlife: Bobcats (wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/bobcats.htm). This pamphlet includes information about their lifecycle and habits, and has these suggestions:
“Feed dogs and cats indoors and clean up after them. If you must feed outside, do so in the morning or midday, and pick up food and water bowls, as well as leftovers and spilled food as soon as pets have finished eating. Water, pet food and pet droppings attract small mammals that, in turn, attract bobcats.
“Keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn. Left outside at night, small dogs and cats may become prey for bobcats (which have attacked cocker-spaniel-size dogs).”
It also says that bobcats are becoming more common in populated areas, where, of course, WE are the invasive species. Like many other wild animals, they are learning to adapt to the ways of humans to take advantage of food sources.
Thanks to Jeanette Stone for her great photos, and do keep those small pets inside at night.
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