Monday, November 30, 2015

Nosy neighbor

Smooch: BARKBARKBARKBARKBARK
Ethel: Carson! Grab your camera!
I did as ordered and ran to the guest room, where Ethel and Smooch were standing.
Carson: What is it? Where is it?
Ethel: There!
Carson: Where?
I still didn't see it but aimed the lens in the general direction
of Ethel's pointing finger.

"It" was a bobcat, and this was only the second time I had seen one close to the house.



I think he was checking out all of Ethel's furniture on the back porch.



Apparently mid-century modern is not his style, so he sauntered off.


p.s. He did not leap the fence, nor harm the chickens and/or Johnny.





32 comments:

  1. What do you have on hand to defend against something like that?

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    1. As long as you mean business...I just wanted to be sure you didn't just bruise him.

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  2. You and The Bloggess! http://thebloggess.com/2015/11/an-unexpected-visitor-who-either-wants-a-snuggle-or-to-eat-my-face-skin-off/

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    1. I just went there. WOW again. She did look like she wanted some scratching behind the ears. LOL

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    2. Maybe it's bobcat mating season or something? Or they're all looking for Thanksgiving leftovers?

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  3. What a beautiful creature! Here, the fiercest animal we might encounter trundling along in the dark near our homes is a badger, who dashes off in alarm; further afield there MIGHT be the mythical Beast of Exmoor......

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  4. He's so beautiful but I worry about Johnny and the girls!!!!!!

    Fingers and toes crossed for a great day today!

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  5. Michelle from Vancouver11/30/15, 6:36 AM

    The Blogress and now you?! Two Bobcats in one week....wow!

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  6. WOW. He's close, beautiful and scary all at the same time. Happy belated Thanksgiving to you all!

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  7. Wow!! Got goosebumps here. How big is he? Hard to tell from the photos, but he is larger than Johnny, right? And I think Johnny has bobcat genes - he has the same long, slender bodyshape.

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    1. He looked about the same size as Smooch - maybe a little shorter, but longer. Around 35 - 40 pounds probably.

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  8. Cool! I've been wondering if you see them out there. We have a family that lives in our yard once in a while. The first time we saw them, mom was sitting under our window meowing at our cat, who was sitting in the window. They both just sat there meowing to each other. We now keep our windows closed if we aren't home. Love to see them.

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  9. The rep from "welcome wagon" ;p

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  10. that is scary for your animals safety, bob cats are the most fierce of all the wild cats.

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  11. Beautiful cat. I'm glad Smooch is there to warn everyone.

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  12. Isn't he gorgeous! I saw one as we hiked once in California but not that close -- glad you got some good pics! We had a red fox in our back yard, hunting a fawn who was born there -- a rookie fox, I believe, or he would have known foxes stick to small prey like rabbits & mice. I scared him off while admiring how beautiful he was. Wonder where your bobcats have their digs. Oh, and fingers crossed for success for the Mertzes today!

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  13. Gorgeous. They're solitary and secretive, how special to see one. I only see one about once a year on trail, here in Northern California they've been more brown, about that size. Chickens beware, but everything else is safe!

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    1. Not so true... bobcats will kill a house cat or a small dog. Agree with everything else!

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  14. He's beautiful. Glad Smooch was on the job as usual and alerted everyone to the new guest in the yard.

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  15. He is beautiful but scary...glad he stayed on his side of the fence...marsha@tubbslanefarm.com

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  16. Used to hear them sometimes growing up in western Kentucky. Beautiful animal. Moving on was a wise choice. This territory is claimed by many a fierce creature.

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  17. Northern AB gal11/30/15, 10:39 AM

    Wow, super cool! We have bobcats around here too but I have only spotted one once. Seen any rabbits around lately? It seems we are in or coming up to a peak year for rabbits so lots of coyotes and other predators around.

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  18. They are a thrill to see and you got some good photos as a bonus.

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  19. Wow, you get all the excitement! Beautiful animal from far far far away....all the way from Califoirnia. Happy Monday.

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  20. Oh so neat!! Glad you got to see one. Here kitty, kitty, kitty... :)

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  21. An American in Tokyo11/30/15, 4:56 PM

    Oooooo!! Very beautiful!!

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  22. Sometimes it seems that Mutual of Omaha has set up at your place :-) Are you Marlin and Ethel is Jim or is it the other way around?!
    beautiful creature!

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  23. our neighbor keeps two bobcats in a big cage in his yard close to our barn. Apparently, last summer the male bobcat escaped and they have yet to catch him. He and the female bobcat are both declawed. I have seen him a few times under our horse trailer and near the barn. So far he has left the barn cat alone. I too was very surprised at how big he was - so much bigger than a domestic cat. He is also not very afraid of people but his owner (our neighbors) have not been able to catch him.

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  24. Why not have Ethel just build a house on your property or buy a pre fab home?

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  25. How about a yurt until they can find another house??? They could build a strawbale house but stay in the yurt this winter.

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