A Washington homeowner who called 911 over strange banging sounds got a surprise far more unusual than a typical break-in.
Here's what to know
According to Fox News, officers were sent to a house in Kirkland's Moss Bay neighborhood after a resident, alarmed by strange noises, suspected an intruder.
Kirkland police responded and soon found a growling bobcat at the top of the stairs. The "cat burglar" encounter ended without injuries, but it demonstrated how easily wildlife can end up inside human living spaces.
To track it without getting too close, the Kirkland Police Department used a drone. They managed to confine the animal to a separate room until state wildlife officials arrived.
The homeowner's cat was found unharmed, and after wildlife officials sedated the bobcat, they released it near Forbes Creek, close to where it was found, police said.
More background
According to law enforcement, the animal may have gotten in by climbing a tree and entering an open window, Fox News reported. The domestic cat may have drawn the bobcat closer.
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As neighborhoods continue to expand into natural areas and animals gain easier access to pets, food sources, and shelter, wildlife can increasingly end up in places people do not expect.
What can be done?
According to Fox News, state wildlife officials advised residents to keep pets indoors from dusk to dawn and to secure small livestock and poultry. It's also important to keep pet food inside to avoid attracting wild animals.
If bobcats or other predators are known to be present in the area, it's wise to keep an eye on small children when they are playing outside.
Those precautions can help protect animals at home while also making neighborhoods less attractive to predators.
The Kirkland homeowner's suspected break-in turned out to be something far rarer: a stressed wild animal in the wrong place.
Where can I learn more?
The Kirkland bobcat was hardly the only predator to show up in an unexpected place. Similar encounters in backyards, at front doors, and in city neighborhoods show how often wildlife now shows up in residential spaces.
• In Sebastopol, California, a homeowner recorded footage of a mountain lion stalking a backyard at night.
• In North Carolina, a man endured a terrifying bobcat attack that prompted rabies concerns.
• In Chicago, a resident described an unusual coyote encounter in a residential neighborhood.
• Across the San Francisco Bay Area, officials warned that dangerous boars wreaking havoc could threaten neighborhoods.
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