Backyard Bobcats

Had some very nice bobcats visit my backyard in Plano yesterday. It was 1pm and they were after the birds my wife feeds everyday. The got one the day before... My wife went outside to scare them away but they were in no rush to leave

Cool!

WOW

That is awesome!

The fourth picture, the cat on the right looks like he might be Ocelot.

WOW... I think you are right... That explains why it was so much larger. I'll see if I can get some better pictures.

That's what I was thinking

I left a message for the Collin County GW to let them know of this rare sighting. From reports, there are only 80-120 of these in the wild in Texas.

I think Plano is a bit out of the known range of Ocelots. You might could talk to someone at the TAMU extension center in Richardson, or a Game Warden.

Plano ISD Alderidge Elementary... home of the Ocelots.

Awesome

Come on guys, ocelot? Ocelots home range is limited to Deep South texas with only about 100 cats in the wild. They are much more marked up than that cat and they have about a 16 in tail. That's just a family group of bobcats. Most likely a mother and last years kittens still hanging around. Just a pretty bobcat with "rosettes" that is what those markings are called. Pretty cat, but not an ocelot.

That's cool! Never thought there would be Bobcats in Plano.

That is a pretty cat...

Better keep scruffy in the house.

Do you live on the far east side? My sister-in-law's house backs onto open fields and they see them often.

always have been and always will be. I mess around sometimes at night and call them and yokes up at night. Legacy and custer.

Just like with Bedford. We get calls on them sometimes and many times on yotes. People get all freaked out and want us to "do something" about those "dangerous animals."

We've also got some red foxes that live in different parts of the city. You can sit in their area at about the same time every night in the summer and they'll show up like clockwork.

Id like to see the tail and head on the Ocelot looking cat. Could be a domesticated tiger cat.

I'm north of Parker and west of Ohio

ocelot

live trap and some 9 lives, here kitty kitty!

Awwww.... how cu......BANG !! Ha ha

I'm working with Fish and Wildlife to see what they think. It may very well just be a large well defined spotted bobcat. Just wanted to be proactive in case this was such a special animal. I may have better pictures tonight.

This is a picture of a Texas Ocelot from From Fish and Wildlife FWS.GOV

Bobcats are pretty common in Frisco/Little Elm. They range our neighborhood and our neighborhood Facebook group is pretty good about tracking them and taking pictures. Last report was one on our street with a picture of it sitting on top of one of the fences. I may have to put some meat out for them so I can see them for myself.

I live in Lakeside, right across Preston from you. Bobcats were such a problem several years ago the neighborhood association had a trapper catch and relocate 11 or 12 adults. The panic they caused was quite comical.........cougars stalking family members, mountain lions attacking pets, etc.

Very few left in Plano that appreciate the Texas outdoors.

break out the GAMO and do some backyard CALLING ! yeah !

My wife has my son's GAMO by the back door now.

I was hoping that my neighbor may have taken pictures Sunday when the two big cats went in their yard. Tuns out they were just cleaning their blinds. They were shocked when I showed them the pictures. They have two toy poodles and they would be a nice snack for those cats.

No luck on new pictures. Also this is what the FWS Biologist responded when reviewing the pictures:


Hi Mr. BXXXXX,

They are actually both bobcats, but the patterns of the one that looks like and ocelot is incredibly striking! The ear and the way the spots in the pattern are more sparse than on an ocelot's coat were the tip-off, but I can certainly understand why you thought it might be something more exotic than a bobcat.

Either way, these photos are amazing and I am glad you got to see these bobcats climbing along the fence- very cool!

Thanks so much for getting in touch and please don't be shy about getting in touch in the future if anything comes up.

Best wishes,
Hilary

Hilary Swarts, Ph.D.
Wildlife Biologist
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
22817 Ocelot Road
Los Fresnos, TX 78566

__

That's awesome

neighbors toy poodles ,,hummmm,,live decoys !!! im seeing it !!!!!!