The Land of Bob con't. ©

The Unexpected House Guest?  

It was time for a road trip to get out of the too-warm desert for a cool-down.  After the excitement of baby coyotes and the juvenile bobcat that were hanging around, we left thinking that they all had moved on.  But to our surprise the day after returning we found this guy relaxed and at home sleeping on the stairs going up to the observation deck!

Of course he didn't know anyone was here because the house was quiet for two weeks.  He thought the place belonged to him/her.  We opened the sunscreen slowly and took these pictures.  But taking pictures through the sliding glass door with the screen closed was not ideal, so we tried to open the door and this is what happened!

I realized that the door wasn't going to get opened, so I kept the camera snapping......

.........and snapping,.....

........and snapping,.....

We don't think she (gender assumption) was ready to wake up but decided she probably should get going.....

She watched us very carefully all the way down the stairs, and once she was off the patio, she walked over to the gate to climb the wall and go over....

I went outside to say, "Hi, Bob",  and she stopped and turned to me--she is as curious about us as we are about her!  The next morning I saw it sneaking up the stairs at 5:30 and again we saw her leaving after her late nap the next morning!  

We were getting a little nervious about sharing our living space with the Bob so we decided to check the Arizona Fish and Game website for any advice.  And this is what they say: 

Bobcats are common throughout Arizona--are generally seen alone, but groups may consist of a mating pair, siblings, or mother with kittens.  If you see a bobcat near your home, there is no need to panic.  Bobcats rarely attack people.  It is not uncommon to find one napping under a shrub in a brushy backyard or in this instance on the cool tile in the shade of the outside stairway! Bobcats may visit an area to find food, water, shelter, or the space they need to live.  But do not feed bobcats, as this can encourage them to become too comfortable around humans.

You may choose to watch and enjoy that bobcat or bobcat family sharing your yard.  I guess she is staying until she decides to move on!

(Copyright 2013)