A Jefferson County woman who left her back door open for her pet cat on Sunday night received an unexpected gift from the cat distribution system — a bobcat perched on her living room shelf.
The woman called Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies after finding the feline tucked behind a plant, and their interaction was caught on body-worn camera video shared by the sheriff’s office on social media.
“Hi, kitty kitty. I’m going to see if he chases the lasers,” a deputy said after spotting the bobcat from across the room.
“He’s not a normal cat!” a man offscreen said.
“Cats are all the same, they all like the same thing. Here, little kitty kitty,” the deputy responded.
The deputy tried using a green laser on his Taser to entice the wild cat to come out, but the animal was not interested in a play session, the sheriff’s office said.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials recommended turning the lights off, leaving the back door open and leaving the cat alone to encourage it to leave — which it did, after about four hours, spokesperson Jacki Kelley said.
Bobcats are secretive, rarely seen predators that most often live in the foothills, canyons, mesa and plateaus where brush and woodland are plentiful, according to CPW.
Bobcats are mostly nocturnal but may be seen during the day when looking for food for their young, Humane World for Animals officials said. To reduce possible conflicts, make sure pets are supervised outdoors and dogs are leashed in public areas and confirm that garbage and other food sources are not accessible.
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