Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SUTTONS BAY, Michigan — Not all bobcat encounters are intense. In fact, some of them can be downright adorable, as evidenced by a YouTube video shot in northern Michigan.
In the video, a pint-sized bobcat is shown wandering around on a family’s deck. According to an article from MLive.com, the footage was captured by the homeowner after she noticed the cat investigating the small animals that frequent her family’s backyard bird feeder.
"It was a rare treat to see this bobcat kitten, and he hung out around the bird feeder for about 20 minutes or so on the first visit,” Marissa Moore was quoted as saying in the article. “Its behavior was very playful and curious. The birds and the chipmunks were not thrilled about this visitor — one brave chipmunk remained close to the house outside the door and was sitting up on its hind legs issuing a loud trill, I suspect to warn others of the danger of this young predator."
The bobcat went on to visit the Moore’s bird feeder several times throughout the day. This behavior isn’t necessarily unusual, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as bobcats often begin learning how to hunt on their own at the tender age of five months.
And while this kitten harmed no animals during its visits, the video serves as a reminder for pet owners that bobcats and other predators often pass through residential areas.
Here are some practical tips to reduce the risk these predators pose to your pets:
- Keep your pets indoors from dusk to dawn
- Secure your pets in the yard with an enclosure, not a chain
- Feed your pets indoors
- Trim brush in your yard to reduce hiding places
- Install motion-activated lights around your house
