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July 28, 2009 at 8:10 pm #591714
ShaMemberI’m a resident of South Beacon Hill who has lost 2 cats {in my yard} in the last month to wild animal attacks (likely coyote/unlikely raccoon,or nesting red-tailed hawks & nesting eagles). I was informed coyotes were down the street along the transmission lined greenbelt near NewHolly. I have spent a great amount of time researching Seattle’s coyote situation {Thank you West Seattle Blog} and would appreciate knowing (the latest) regarding who is doing anything about it? Who is a good contact?
Thanks for your time,
Sha
July 28, 2009 at 8:22 pm #673145
WednesdayMemberYou’ll be fighting an endless battle “to do something about it” whether it’s the coyotes or raccoons. Here’s a link to the NW Coyote Tracker sight that shows a map of all the sightings as of July 2007. Unfortunately it has never been updated since. Still very interesting though to see just how many are just about everywhere in Seattle!
July 28, 2009 at 8:24 pm #673146
CountingCoupMemberWithout getting into gory details, did you find the cats? Because I suspect you would not if it had been a coyote.
July 28, 2009 at 8:24 pm #673147
KBearParticipantI’m sorry you lost your cats.
Try the link “Living with coyotes” on this page:
http://www.seattle.gov/animalshelter/Default.asp
It has some suggestions for keeping pets safe.
July 28, 2009 at 8:33 pm #673148
ShaMemberThanks for the replies.
-The first cat attack, four weeks ago, my cat was disemboweled with signs of a serious struggle on the side yard. The second cat attack, two weeks ago, there were mass clumps of fur, no blood, no traces of her.
-The NW coyote tracker isn’t updated, I did put an email request to them for info though.
-Thanks for the link “Living with coyotes”. Hopefully it won’t soon be ‘Living with cougars’
July 28, 2009 at 8:37 pm #673149
TammiWSMemberSha – I’m so sorry to hear about your cats. I cant even imagine how difficult this must be for you. My thoughts are with you.
July 28, 2009 at 8:42 pm #673150
WSBKeymasterStories and photos of West Seattle coyote sightings are all archived in this WSB category, fwiw:
July 28, 2009 at 8:45 pm #673151
WednesdayMemberLet’s not forget bears too! Remember not that long ago there was a black bear on Magnolia and Ballard. I’ve heard both bears and cougars have been known to follow the train tracks into populated areas (obviously this one got to the city somehow, possibly even swimming across the sound). So “living with cougars” is not so far fetched!
I too, am very sorry for your loss, but’s it’s the harsh reality of life.
July 28, 2009 at 10:45 pm #673152
cathywMemberLast summer I visited a family in Long Beach, CA, that had co-existing outdoor house cats and wild raccoons. The raccoons and cats occupied the same space in the backyard. There were probably eight raccoons just sitting around. The trick? The owners of the house put a big bowl of dog food out for the raccoons to eat! They preferred that to eating the cats. I was told this situation had been going on for over ten years and they had never lost a cat. I’m not recommending it, but it was quite amazing. Not sure it would work for the coyotes though.
We don’t let our cat out until around 9am and make sure she is inside by 6:30pm. No early morning or evening hours for her.
Yesterday afternoon I spotted a bald eagle sitting in a tree in our neighbor’s yard. The eagle had its eyes on our cat, which was sitting on our back deck. Into the house went the cat. I have no idea if eagles attack cats but I wasn’t taking any chances. I know they attack goslings.
July 28, 2009 at 11:11 pm #673153
cathywMemberDidn’t meant to be insensitive by not mentioning your cats in my post…. So, so sorry about your experience. I’m sure it has been just devastating to lose your two cats like that. :(
July 28, 2009 at 11:24 pm #673154
KatherineLParticipantDo you have any dogs running loose in your neighborhood? I had a cat torn apart by a pack of dogs once. Probably all of them household pets when they were on their own.
July 29, 2009 at 1:43 am #673155
JeffSavoieMemberThe Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator’s hands are severely tied, when it comes to dealing with coyotes.
Most of the truly effective tools of the trade have been banned (without special permits) and/or don’t suit urban use, or new inventions like the “collarum”, were never adopted.
I couldn’t sleep at night with a padded foothold trap on the ground, for fear of catching someone’s pet.
I am truly sorry for the loss of your pets, as a professional trapper I find it a huge tragedy, and a personal shortcoming.
I’d really like to solve West Seattle’s (and indeed the whole city’s) coyote problems, but I am fighting against the tide in attempting to do so.
“Your coyotes” aren’t just yours though, they belong to a larger area than just a single yard or even neighborhood. With a range of ten square miles or more, it’s a crap shoot to try and be in the same place (or have a trap in it), at the same time.
To be truly effective, I’d have to bend the heck out of, if not outright break the law (as it currently stands).
If you’d like to discuss the subject further, feel free to contact me.
Jeff Savoie
All City Animal Control
206 914-9196
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