Federal wildlife agent: It’s a neighborhood problem, not a coyote problem

The latest round of coyote concern in West Seattle is NOT grounds for trapping and killing one (or more). We heard that today from a source that might surprise you – an agent of the federal Wildlife Services division who works in West Seattle. Last summer, we reported on his appearance in the Seola area, where neighbors were raising money for a four-digit “co-op” fee solicited for federal help; this year, Admiral residents seeking to do the same thing distributed flyers like this one. Then today, the agent called us out of the blue, to ask us to get the word out on what he advises people should do to minimize coyote conflict:

That’s a cameraphone photo of agent Aaron and his dog, making an educational appearance at the Highland Park Action Committee meeting back in May. Today, via phone, the message Aaron asked us to get out is the same he shared there: Don’t put your pets in harm’s way. And don’t make any other food source easily available, either. Losing pets to coyotes (or other predators) is a neighborhood problem, not a coyote problem, he said.

He says one big problem is people letting their dogs out, unaccompanied, to relieve themselves in the middle of the night. Even if they’re just sticking to their own yards – a coyote might be out there, “coaxing” the dog to the edge of the yard because the dog gets “riled up” and wants to protect his yard, and that’s when they’ll get snatched.

And he says letting cats roam outdoors is problematic too.

“A lot of these (coyote) ‘issues’ aren’t really issues if you (keep pets indoors),” he says, adding that while sometimes the coyote “situation” is “more serious than (residents) think … in this case, we’re just calming people down. It happens, it’s normal. This is not something that’s worth a coyote being euthanized – as of right now. … People just need to be reminded that their pets are precious and coyotes are out there. It’s natural. Try to keep (your pets) indoors.”

And watch out for other food sources, he advised – bird feeders can attract rodents, which coyotes eat (they might eat the seeds and nuts, too); even an uncovered compost pile can draw coyotes interested in food or produce scraps.

He says, “Just having us out there doesn’t mean we’re going to remove (coyotes),” and insists part of Wildlife Services’ job is “educating people and their cats and dogs.

What does trigger a decision to trap and kill a coyote? If they approach a dog on a leash – which was the case in Seola last year – “that’s bad.” He wouldn’t elaborate on what happened in Seola, but insisted the situation was “bad, very bad.” The situation in West Seattle right now, he reiterated, is “nothing like that.”

So, what to do if you see a coyote?

Same advice we’re been sharing in coyote-sighting stories here for five years. “Yell at it, throw something.” Scare it away, so it maintains a healthy fear of humans. You’ll find that advice in this state publication, too. Overall, Aaron insisted, the state of things right now is not a coyote problem, but a neighborhood problem, and if neighborhoods minimize the food sources, the problem should recede.

74 Replies to "Federal wildlife agent: It's a neighborhood problem, not a coyote problem"

  • Mel July 16, 2013 (4:25 pm)

    People continue to believe they have a “right” (or more ignorantly, a “responsibility”) to put their pets outside unattended.
    .
    If all of the energy used in flyering, collecting monies, etc, was devoted to taking time to play/walk with pets, the problem wouldn’t exist.

  • Heather July 16, 2013 (4:44 pm)

    I’ve been trying to tell people this in my neighborhood for years.

  • Dewey July 16, 2013 (4:53 pm)

    I was harassed by a coyote ty he other day walking down to the Saltys with my dog on a leash. Probably would have been art as attacked if it wasn`t for a car coming by and honking. It was on the stretch of road that goes under the admiral overpass/bridge

  • Brenda July 16, 2013 (4:56 pm)

    Mel, if more energy was focused on working towards a solution instead of useless commenting such as yours, we’d be closer to finding a balance in our neighborhood.

  • Boy July 16, 2013 (5:00 pm)

    This is bs. The coyote needs to live by our rules. It is my back yard not the coyotes. Where I live I like to think is mans natrual habitat. If not please someone let me know where and what is mans natrual habitat. We have a right to keep unwanted humans out of yard with force if need be. We should have right to eliminate a coyote if it threatening our pets. I do my best to also keep the racoons out also. They are also a dander to our pets.

  • John July 16, 2013 (5:01 pm)

    As a matter of fact, I do have a right to put my pet outside unattended, Mel.

  • WendyHJ July 16, 2013 (5:03 pm)

    Out walking the dog we were followed for a distance and almost to our front door in High Point. Courtesy patrol came around the corner and then told us a coyote was following us and drove towards it and it went down an alley. Not 30 seconds later it had looped around through those yards and came back out to keep following us. My husband threw me the keys and told me to run with the dog (on a leash) while he became the aggressor towards the coyote, yelling and running at it and stomping his feet. This was in Feb 2011 and that is the last time I saw a coyote in High Point, after seeing them a lot in the years leading up to that. But then I started to hear more about sightings in other parts of West Seattle so I think they move around a lot.

  • TheOtherDude July 16, 2013 (5:04 pm)

    I agree with him. I let my cat out but I’m with him or know where he is at all times so he can be safe. During the summer I’ve seen coyotes on a weekly basis right next to our house. Haven’t had a single problem. They always run away when they see me. Plus the fact my dog is bigger than them is a big factor for them to avoid my property.

  • chuck and sally's van man July 16, 2013 (5:04 pm)

    Dewey–how big is your dog/what breed? Just curious if it looks like a small meal. If it’s a larger dog like a lab that is really aggressive behavior.

  • JanS July 16, 2013 (5:08 pm)

    Mel made a lot of sense…

  • EmmyJane July 16, 2013 (5:11 pm)

    Finally humans are showing some compassion to other species.

  • nemobeansmom July 16, 2013 (5:12 pm)

    @Brenda/Mel>>>Here we go…this coyote subject always get’s people all riled up!

  • Peter on Fauntleroy July 16, 2013 (5:14 pm)

    Keep your cats inside. An outdoor cat can adjust to being indoors, just realize the cat will need more of your time for play and exercise. Coyotes or not, cars are everywhere, and your cats are just better off inside.

  • zoopa July 16, 2013 (5:18 pm)

    anyone who has the right to put their pet outside unattended, also has the right to have their pet snatched, and eaten by a natural predator that was here long before us and has as much right to share our neighborhood with us as we have to be here. To protect pets, use common sense and escort them. Coyotes rarely make a move on a pet with humans present. It’s as simple as that.

  • Jim P. July 16, 2013 (5:46 pm)

    “Also has the right to have their pet snatched, and eaten by a natural predator that was here long before us ”

    Hmm, we’re natural predators also and have been around a couple of million years in one form or another. Fair is fair. If the coyote decides to roam unattended into my yard then i should have the same rights to it that you feel it has to my pets.

    Man is not separate from nature, one hears that all the time so it seems only natural that we should be allowed to prey on stray coyotes the same as they can prey on us.

    They can stay out of our yards, it’s their choice to roam.

    They may only be doing what comes naturally in their “territory”, but then so am I in defending my “territory” and family.

    Don’t hunt me and mine and I won’t hunt you and yours.

    The wolves learned it long ago according to Kipling: “..and seven times never kill Man.”

  • West Seattle Hipster July 16, 2013 (5:49 pm)

    Coexist.

  • JimmyG July 16, 2013 (5:51 pm)

    I side with the coyotes.

    My dogs only go outside with me.

    As far as choosing to have a cat that goes outdoors–as with any choice we make in life there are consequences. One of those consequences with an outdoor cat is it may become prey to another animal.

  • miws July 16, 2013 (6:11 pm)

    They can stay out of our yards, it’s their choice to roam.

    .

    Ummmm….more like instinct….

    .

    Mike

  • zoopa July 16, 2013 (6:13 pm)

    thing is man gets arrested when he hunts inside city limits or at least he should be, coyote does not. That’s the reality. Pretty much all people have to do is to not put pets out unescorted… problem solved. Rarely will coyote attack human or pet escorted by human. In addition do the things listed above to give the coyotes no reason to be around. Alternatively can get all riled up about it but while we’re doing that, our pet just got snatched by a coyote and wouldn’t have been if we had been escorting it instead.

  • mehud July 16, 2013 (6:20 pm)

    Thank you agent Aaron, that makes perfect sense.

  • Ray West July 16, 2013 (6:42 pm)

    I’m an advocate of keeping cats indoors at all times. Not just because of coyotes, but because there’s many other possible hazards–cars, stray cats and dogs, raccoons, diseases, etc. Cats also kill birds. Most people are good about keeping their dogs leashed or fenced, but for some reason think cats should run free and will be safe. My cat has never been outdoors except to go to the vet in her carrier. She’s happy, has the run of the house, loves to look outside the windows for hours, but refuses to stick her head out the door, too scared to venture out (if I would let her). The coyotes and other wildlife are here to stay, and we need to co-exist as peacefully as possible.

  • Pdieter July 16, 2013 (7:13 pm)

    Who’s picking up the yote poop?

  • Livin' in West Seattle since '91 July 16, 2013 (7:19 pm)

    As a “natural predator,” I have the right to use my bb rifle and hunting dog on any coyote who comes onto my property, and I have done so a number of times over the past few years. And after I set my Catahoula Leopard dog (a type of Louisiana hunting dog) on them a few years back, we haven’t had a problem with any coyotes, and I doubt we ever will. They know she’s here and ready to protect her little brother and her two kitties.

  • JoB July 16, 2013 (7:35 pm)

    this is a no-brainer
    our pets look like a great food source to coyotes

    if we don’t want them to become food
    we keep them inside

  • nemobeansmom July 16, 2013 (7:55 pm)

    @Ray West I agree 100% with you!

    My 2 cats have been indoors their whole life and that’s the way it’ll stay because I love them and want to keep them safe.

  • riverview July 16, 2013 (8:19 pm)

    And they eat many things besides pets.

  • Boy July 16, 2013 (8:20 pm)

    Dear ZOOPA, In case you did not know, coyotes are not natural to this area. And JIM P you are exactly right.

  • Mike July 16, 2013 (8:29 pm)

    Cats kill far more Birds than coyotes kill cats and dogs.

  • KK50 July 16, 2013 (8:41 pm)

    I like the coyotes. It reminds me that the brutality and beauty of nature is a part of my everyday existence. I don’t want nature all neat, tidy and sanitized for my benefit.

  • Eric1 July 16, 2013 (8:45 pm)

    I find it amusing that people bring up “our rules” and “coyotes are not natural”. Okay, we all live under “natures rules” (as shaped by man) and unless you are a first nations member, our kind are not natural here. Okay, humans were here but so were wolves (who kept out coyotes) so the canis species was here. No wolves, more coyotes. Why no wolves. Oh yeah, non-natives with guns and poison.
    .
    We made this “world” we have to live in it, nature adjusts its rules as she goes along. Nobody with a German Shepard or Akita has a problem. Just those with cats and small dogs (I use the term “dog” loosely for anything under 30#. They are not natural either).

  • Tony July 16, 2013 (8:50 pm)

    http://www.petco.com/Content/ArticleList/Article/13/2/181/Reasons-to-Keep-Your-Cat-Indoors.aspx

    TL;DR: Outdoor cats live 1-5 years, indoors 12-20, on average.

    Using the more lenient figures out of the range, that’s still a loss of 7 years to outdoor cats, two more years than their expected lifespan.

    Frankly, if you’re arguing for your “right” to have your cherished pet live for less than half of it’s expected life and most likely die violently from a fight injury (another cat, dog, coyote, maladjusted youth, etc) or automobile incident, you’re a crappy pet owner and should consider giving your cat to someone who will love it and allow it to live a full lifespan.

  • Bill V July 16, 2013 (8:57 pm)

    Is this a good time to mention the guy in kent who got attacked by three coyotes in his backyard last year? Or should he have stayed inside too, and played with himself?

  • bc July 16, 2013 (9:01 pm)

    I live in Admiral and have seen a few coyotes when walking to and from work or the store at night. Sometimes they hunt in Hiawatha, but as soon as they hear or see me coming they run in to the wooded area under the Admiral bridge. They are not dangerous to us, our kids, or our attended pets. I have pets that I consider part of my family, and therefore make sure they are safe. The raccoon in this neighborhood are way more aggressive and dangerous than the coyotes.

    I heard someone talking about putting out a can of cat food with rat poison in it to kill the raccoon and coyotes near their property. I’ve known more people to lose their pets to that kind of thing than to coyotes.

    We need to stop trying to force the world to adapt to us in our selfishness. I agree with agent Aaron, and I hope people will take his suggestions.

  • Candace McCutcheon July 16, 2013 (9:10 pm)

    My 100 lb. lab once chased one away from a cat it was after, all the way back to it’s lair in a gully, then I put her back on her leash…I wouldn’t recommend this though. What about catching and releasing them or perhaps catching, tagging, releasing them in their habitat and studying their patterns as they’ve been doing with raccoons, which can be dangerous as well? (I saw it on my daughter’s favorite show on Nova, “Raccoon Nation.”)

  • realitycheck July 16, 2013 (9:20 pm)

    Searching the web for “right to let my pet out unattended”. Can someone point me to where that one is written down? Also looking for information about coyotes not being “natural” to this area. Help?

  • West Seattle July 16, 2013 (9:26 pm)

    West Seattle has always had Coyotes, they are apart of this community just as much as these new West Seattle Residents, If you don’t like it, move! Be more aware of your surroundings and be more responsible. Schmitz Park Elementary has a Coyote as its mascot for starters lol

  • HC July 16, 2013 (9:39 pm)

    Why would the coyotes have to be killed? Why not just trap and relocate? I have cats that go outside, but I try and get them in at night knowing if I don’t, they are at risk.

  • Rockhills July 16, 2013 (9:43 pm)

    Seems like everyone here agrees. Wild animals hunt as wild animals. Coyotes are wild animals. Keep your pets indoors or monitor them.

  • Luke July 16, 2013 (10:07 pm)

    If you’d just keep your coyotes indoors none of this would even be an issue.

  • tanyar23 July 16, 2013 (10:23 pm)

    In the infamous words of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “True Men Don’t Kill Coyotes.”

  • ttt July 16, 2013 (11:21 pm)

    Thank you wildlife agent. I agree. I had a rat sitting in my yard last week and I wished a coyote would have shown up to eat it!!! We need those coyotes! If you don’t want your pet to act as wild prey, than keep them indoors…

  • Mike July 16, 2013 (11:48 pm)

    Livin’ in West Seattle since ’91, what you stated is illegal to actually do. You don’t live in the back country protecting livestock. Do that near me and I’ll have you arrested and fined.

  • cj July 17, 2013 (12:23 am)

    Thanks for getting the official word to us. If you do not like the official policies then find where to voice opinions through official channels. Honestly I do not think the coyotes would be roaming as much for food as they are now if their normal areas were not occupied with er unofficial campers. I found some dead birds and squirrels in Lincoln Park last year but as they were roasted over a campfire pretty sure it wasn’t coyotes.

  • J. July 17, 2013 (1:25 am)

    This is the most ridiculous thing I heard in the long time. Such a large city and we are having wild predator overpopulation issue. If anybody wants to share their lives with coyotes please move out to the country.

    Should I bake a cake for the next coyote who walks into my house looking for food (yes I know, stupid me I keep food in my house). My last encounter was 20 feet from my doors, in the daytime. I bet next time he’ll walk right in.

    My previous encounter, again during the daytime, on the busy WS street, cars, buses and people. No fear whatsoever.

    And regardless of the cause of the spread of coyotes (cats or no cats) this federal agent supposed to do his job. He is the only who is allowed to do it and no, he rather lecture us. What’s his agenda anyway? Is he scared? Did he ever successfully controlled predator population?

    And what do we supposed to do know? Wait until the coyotes disappear? For how long? Oh, maybe they get to their senses and hop on the Greyhound bus tomorrow and move to Portland. Yeah right!

    What community issue? We have a safety issue. Just wait until somebody gets hurt. There are family with small children living in this part of town. Don’t even want to think what could happen.

  • Donna July 17, 2013 (1:36 am)

    Have ya ever tried to walk a cat?

  • All for it July 17, 2013 (6:50 am)

    We keep ours indoors unless escorted.
    Also we’re in the middle of a remodel. I’ve found 5 dead rats next to the poison left by the PO…. And one dead cat. Seems like it was a bad plan to me.

  • nemobeansmom July 17, 2013 (7:00 am)

    Has anyone ever thought that yes we are a big city with a coyote problem but we are also a big city getting bigger by building more homes and businesses where these wild animals are supposed to live…not saying here in WS but out east (Issaquah,Snoqualmie…) so where are these “wild animals” to go???

  • Bill V July 17, 2013 (7:08 am)

    yes good point, if we keep building new condos and apartments the coyotes will be flushed out and become more of a problem (or a blessing, depending on how you look at it). so should I move out or should you vote against new development? the world is changing, west seattle is changing, I’m not saying it’s for the better but wildlife is affected, and if they get more aggressive, something will have to be done. go ahead and “have me arrested.” it’s not 1960.

  • Meg July 17, 2013 (7:18 am)

    My guess is the first time a person (God forbid, a small child) actually gets hurt….the “community support” is going to quickly change to outrage. Typical. Yeah, I keep my cat inside because I want to keep him safe, but I do let my kids outside to play in the yard and our local park. We live near Westcrest Park/Highland Park and see coyotes during the daylight hours often. I live in the city for a reason. I should only have to worry about drug dealers and violence…ha ha..not wild animals too….lol. Why not just relocate them before the population gets out of control (the criminals and the coyotes…he he)??

  • admiral July 17, 2013 (7:33 am)

    If you treat your animals “like part of the family” why would you let them outside alone when you know it could be dangerous. Do you leave your small children unattended anywhere? I hope not.

  • G July 17, 2013 (7:38 am)

    “Searching the web for “right to let my pet out unattended”. Can someone point me to where that one is written down? Also looking for information about coyotes not being “natural” to this area. Help?”

    I was born and raised in West Seattle. Spent countless hours as a kid and young adult kicking around the greenbelts and parks in the area, and never once saw a coyote that I recall. Fox, yes, but no coyotes. But, then never saw a Barred Owl, either.

  • Paul July 17, 2013 (7:51 am)

    Coyotes are an essential part of the eco system.. There are too many rodents in Seattle to not have coyotes… City or not this is a forest and needs that balance!

  • Thomas July 17, 2013 (8:00 am)

    The C. l. umpquensis subspecies of coyote is native to the WA and OR coast. Give it a Google search and more data is available; I only have physical books on the matter. It’s amazing how (difficult to find the correct word..) inflexible? intolerant? some folks in West Seattle can be. A federal agent that specializes in coyote control states that removing food sources and scaring the coyotes will make it learn to fear humans. Seems logical, practical, and safe to me. Worth a first shot…

  • Robert July 17, 2013 (9:21 am)

    Here we go again. The same arguments, often written by the same people. When people say the same thing over and over again, regardless of being proven wrong, you realize that this isn’t about making sense of the problem.

    Coyotes are not native to this area. Posters have calmly explained this fact again and again. And yet people still work themselves into a lather claiming that evil humans are in the wrong for encroaching on coyote’s territory. The truth is explained on the site that always accompanies coyote sighting posts on the blog.

    http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/coyotes.html

    Thomas, West Seattle, and Reality Check, read it and learn, if you honestly care about the facts. Beyond the issue of who or what came first, which is a silly issue in the first place because it solves no problems, what is remarkable is the degree of sheer meanness and animosity some people display while claiming to be caring. They use their “compassion” as a club to beat people.

  • Pixie B July 17, 2013 (9:55 am)

    If it bothers you to have a coyote in a rural area, and you don’t want to heed the wildlife agent’s advice, then don’t. It is your choice. These creatures were always here. Be thankful it is a coyote and not something bigger like in outlying cities/towns. We lived on the Olympic National Park boarder – cougars, bears, raccoons, skunks, wolves, coyotes – never had a problem as long as we kept food inside, watch our pets and kids and enjoyed the nature God put on this earth. An alert would go out through neighbors and news media – we would take precautions.

  • Furor Scribendi July 17, 2013 (10:31 am)

    Here we go again… indeed.
    Right on, Robert. Coyotes aren’t native here and posters are ignoring facts. People have a right to allow their pets into their secured yard; they don’t have a right to discharge firearms or construct trap-guns within city limits. Schmitz Park Elementary School’s mascot is a fox, not a coyote, a species pushed out of its top predator role by the increasing numbers of coyotes. Thomas: there may be anecdotal notions of coyotes historically living in our general area, but after extensive inquiries to older family members, neighbors, and other information sources from way back, coyotes were unknown here from at least 1920 until around the late 1990’s.

  • G July 17, 2013 (11:09 am)

    Please listen to those of us who grew up in West Seattle. Coyotes are not native to West Seattle. Does this mean we should go shoot them? No, it simply means that they are not native. That’s all we’re saying. It’s doesn’t mean we don’t have different opinions on what to do about them – if anything.

    Why does everything in Seattle turn into an adolescent shouting match?

  • I. Ponder July 17, 2013 (1:03 pm)

    I know of a human neighbor who should be trapped and relocated for the good of everyone.

  • G July 17, 2013 (1:22 pm)

    Furor Scribendi,

    Well said. Same can be said for the somewhat aggressive Barred Owl which is an Eastern migrant that began filtering into the NW four or five decades ago by way of British Columbia, and has arrived in Seattle in large numbers. Biologists think it might have some part in declining Spotted Owl populations. I find it an interesting subject…..:)

  • Yeah- Me July 17, 2013 (1:31 pm)

    Not native to West Seattle? Well neither are people from California, Idaho, Oregon, etc.. and you don’t expect to be able to go out and shoot them.

  • kay July 17, 2013 (2:02 pm)

    How about people start picking up the dog poop that is accumulating right under the signs for the coyotes “enough is enough”. At each telephone pole with a sign, there are at least 5 bags of poop. I heard that coyotes are attracted to dog poop. So if you want coyotes in your yard, just leave the dog poop out.

    PICK UP YOUR DOG POOP – SIGNED, your dog

  • John July 17, 2013 (2:36 pm)

    @realtiycheck. Thanks for the overly technical definition of “right.” If you’d kindly now conduct a cursory internet search and point me to the city, state, county, federal or international law, relevant to this jurisdiction, that states that I can’t allow my pet outside unattended?

  • nemobeansmom July 17, 2013 (3:47 pm)

    What did I say at the beginning of this subject….

    @Brenda/Mel>>>Here we go…this coyote subject always get’s people all riled up!
    Comment by nemobeansmom — 5:12 pm July 16, 2013

  • Silly Goose July 17, 2013 (6:00 pm)

    I love all the coyotes they take care of the natural food chain, vermin and ferral cats, I don’t have a problem with them at all being around. I am glad the wildlife experts aren’t killing happy and these beautiful animals will still roam and yes if you leave your cat out it will be dinner!!! That’s life

  • Luke July 17, 2013 (7:24 pm)

    Alf ate cats. He isn’t even indigenous to this planet and we all invited him into our home for years!
    (Also, coyotes are here because of us, not in spite of us).

  • Your pet July 17, 2013 (7:59 pm)

    As a responsible pet owner it is your responsibility to keep your pet(s) safe.
    If your going to let your pet out unsupervised in a fenced yard, make sure it is secured such that a coyote can’t gain access. Outside of a fenced yard… Leash your pet (if applicable) there is a leash law. Seems pretty straight forward to me. If you observe a coyote approaching people or children, then it’s a job for animal control to remove the specific problem animal.

    Furthermore, lot of ya’ll need to read the header article again as it contains information that speaks to a lot of posts… Information that is coming from a wildlife specialist, who probably knows a lot more then all of us about the issue.

    ….just saying

  • riverview July 17, 2013 (9:43 pm)

    B.S. The agent is talking like we don’t belong here, and the friggin coyotes do. He’s an idiot. Coyotes carry rabies, and are full of diseases. Letting them increase in numbers is not a good thing.

  • 935 July 17, 2013 (9:56 pm)

    People. If you feel threatened kill the coyote. What do you think a state official is going to say in liberal Seattle?
    Don’t get caught. It’s easy. I’ve killed rats, raccoons, possums, starlings, crows, pigeons etc in my backyard.
    Just do the deed and shut up about it. Dispose of the carcass and move on with your life.

  • Restaurantee July 17, 2013 (11:34 pm)

    935, I think I’ve eaten at your restaurant too!

  • anonyme July 18, 2013 (6:46 am)

    Cats are legally allowed to roam in Seattle. Stupid IMO, but not prohibited. You are not allowed to kill someone’s cat if it enters your yard, even when it is killing birds. Why should you be able to kill a coyote? They’re here for the same reason as any other non-native immigrant.

    G: interesting and accurate comments.

  • Amy B July 18, 2013 (8:12 am)

    Keep your cats indoors. I have several cats, they are all indoor kitties, and they are fine. We have large windows and have placed short cat trees (we call them “shrubs”) so the cats have very good views outside. There are so many reasons to keep your cats indoors. (1) the cat’s safety: not just coyotes, but dogs, other cats, raccoons (yes, in a fight, a cat will lose to a raccoon that outweighs it and has HANDS), and parasites; (2) your health and $$ (an indoor kitty is less likely to bring in fleas and other parasites, and is overall more healthy therefore costing you less in vet bills); and (3) protecting birds (cats are hunters, and will catch birds; I’d rather not contribute to the loss of song birds, thank you).

  • robert July 18, 2013 (8:42 am)

    I see everyone thinks that wildlife wasnt here in town during the 20s and 30s ,stop and think for a second. there was about a million acres of wild unspoiled timber land right next door for the critters to hunt on. only after some lazy human moved in and started throwing his garbage out the back door and let his garbage pile up out back did the critters move in for the easy pickings…ifyou don’t like it go to the anthill down town and live with the rest of the ants in the highrises.

  • Robert July 18, 2013 (12:43 pm)

    robert,

    I think you need to stop and think for a second. No reasonable person is saying that wildlife wasn’t here during the ’20s and ’30s. What very reasonable and informed people are saying is that there was no significant urban coyote population in the Seattle area until the late ’90s.

    Here is a direct quote from the Department of Wildlife site that explains the matter simply and directly:

    In pioneer days, coyotes (Canis latrans) were restricted primarily to the sagebrush lands, brushy mountains, and open prairies of the American West. Wolves occupied the forests. Coyotes have since taken advantage of human activities (including the reduction of gray wolf populations) to expand their range throughout North and Central America.

    As for your comments on the nefarious “lazy human,” where did you get that?

  • Robert July 19, 2013 (7:08 am)

    the coyote is the ultimate survivor, he goes where the pickings are the easiest to get, los angeles and hollywood have very famous pack, they shop in the alleys where rats and mice are along with the local cats and dogs , they eat pretty good. humans are garbage generators of the first order. if you feed your pets outside, well you just inherited a pack of coyotes and coons to support.me I would rather have coyotes and coons than rats and mice…

Sorry, comment time is over.