Found a new pet in my backyard

[RainMaker]

This is in very urban Arlington.  Hmmmmm......

[GreenLantern57]

Guess the rains ran his normal food to higher ground. Hope it goes back to the hills before pets start disappearing.

[Gear Jammer]

Too cool     What brand of cat is that Mark?  Bobcat?   I saw a cougar in the back acreage once.  Explained some of the sounds I hear out in the woods at night !

[godfire]

I thought everyone in Texas had one of them in their backyard!

Looks like a bobcat to me. We have one at the park .... or had one at the park ... that we use to go to 

[RainMaker]

That is a bobcat.  Could not get the camera out fast enough to show him using a large tree as a scratching post, but it was really neat.  The animal control guys said there are lots of 'em around and they eat squirrels, rats and birds, not dogs and cats.  That's fine with me - we have an excess of squirrels and the rats eat all the rabbit food my rabbit's kick out of the cage.  Was worried about the dogs that visit from time to time, but as long as we're outside with them, the bobcat should not mess with 'em.  Besides, he only seems to be around in the morning.

[NCGhostrider]

Here kitty kitty!!!       

We are seeing more of them here in our rural areas too.  Actually saw one that was hit this morning, which is rare, it probably was ill.   

I would give it its distance, 90% of the time they won't mess with humans, but then theres that 10%.  My brother had one actually creep up on him in one of his hayfields a few years ago.  He caught sight of it when it got within 40-50 ft of him.   It was all crouched down and flattened out and moving toward him, kinda scary knowing what one of them can do to you...   Discharge of the appropriate firearm into the air seemed to change its mind concerning prey btw...