We have been under siege for a while around here. Sandy was sitting on the deck, and saw a Giant Cat of some kind, (bob cat?) step out of the flower bed, scoop up a chicken, and calmly walk away.
In broad daylight!
So, we called Critter Catchers and had some traps set around the property, and have had all the animals and kids on lock down.
The children have to stay in the yard by me, not run around the property to play, and the kitties get locked up in the breezeway every night. The little dogs only get to go out in the fence, or stay by our side if we are out.
The poor chickens have been cooped up in the coop since their sweet little red sister was stolen away.
We've got 3 large traps set, and baited with nasty smelling dead creatures. So, being outside isn't all that pleasant any way. On hot days, nothing smells worse than a 3 day old, skinned weasel.
The trappers say that big cats only need to eat every few days, and that they have a range of territory, it might be a while before it comes back through.
He showed us all the signs and tracks in the woods of where the cat had been. This is a footprint, and is as large as Sandy's hand!
I wanted to make a plaster cast of the print, but didn't get to it in time, and rain ruined the trail. I've checked the woods daily, but have not seen any new tracks. Which, I guess is good, but it doesn't mean the beast is gone, I feel like he is waiting for us to let the ladies back out of the coop so he can stroll by and nab another one!
In the meantime, we have trapped an entire raccoon family. A large male, smaller female and 5 pups. Are they called pups? Cubs, maybe?
Trapper Tom retrieves them, and takes the cage to the river to let them out. If my husband is around, he will dump the coons or possums himself. He and the grands load up the big, red, pick up truck and head to the Kansas River and let them go. There is a caged coon behind the hen house right now, and my husband is out of town, so I'll keep it fed till tomorrow when he can unload it. That's better than us paying the trapper to keep coming up to empty the traps and I don't particularly want to do it myself.
Our count so far:
7 Coons
6 Possums
0 Giant Cats
Almost 3 weeks of checking traps and locking down pets
This is one thing that freaked me out. Trapper Tom showed us this area out in the woods where we had dumped straw from the hen house. On the pile was a selection of toys. Some were decorations taken from the tree house in the fairy trail, the others were dog toys.
I was told that this is where the Giant Cat likes to play. Trapper Tom says that a bobcat will play like a house cat and will collect toys. He was probably attracted to some of the feathers and the chicken scent in the pile of straw, so chose this spot to make a play house. It gives me the creeps to think he might have been attracted to the scent of kids in the tree house when he stole toys from there. Ugh. And where did he get the dog toys? From someones yard? I hope the dog he took it from is ok.
(artwork by Guncle Randy)
Wow,Karla, You do lead a very adventurous life! And to think we thought it was all lace and fairies at your place.
And the Art work by Gunkle Randy is priceless!
I hope that bob cat is trapped very soon.So the pups, chicks, kitties and fairy grandbabies will be safe once again.
Debra
Oh how scary to realize that big cat was roaming around the property with all your littles out there! Good luck – I hope this adventure is over very soon!
I guess Sandy will have to sit on your porch with a shot gun and watch for the critter.
Good grief, Karla — that’s a little creepy with the pips and babies and all around. I hope he/she/it doesn’t have friends…
Ugh, that is crazy that he has a play area…I hope Trapper Tom will give you some pointers about how to make the play area cat-unfriendly! Like ammonia!
This summer was so not that we didnt spend much time in the woods, so it probably had little human scent going on back there. Apparently all of the whirly gigs and ribbons dont work as scarecrows to keep predators away!
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I’m sorry this whole “where is that big cat?” thing has been hanging over your head for so long without resolution. I know that has to be unsettling. That was very strange to see that the big cat actually has a play area–stocked with stolen playthings!!!
Yikes!!! We live on a 32 acre “mountain” farm and battle big cats, bears, and those nasty raccoons. They are such a pain and they are so… mean. Have you seen the stories about attacks on people by them?! I’ve heard that critters don’t like the smell of ammonia so you may want to put some in the big cat’s play area. Good luck and be safe with all your babies…
Enjoyed reading your story about the Giant Cat, but I am glad that I don’t like where you do to have that kind of action in my life.
Thanks for sharing
Happy New Year
Luckily, we havent seen him back again!
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