“I WAS JUST CHECKING OUT THE PET CAT!”!!! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, POLICE SAY A BOBCAT ENTERED A WASHINGTON HOME AFTER POTENTIALLY SCALING A TREE… AND WILDLIFE OFFICIALS HAD TO SEDATE THE ANIMAL BEFORE RETURNING IT TO THE WILD.
A Washington homeowner called 911 about a potential burglar after hearing the sound of banging.
Officers responded to the residence to investigate the reported break-in.
At the top of the homeowner’s staircase, officers found an “unexpected intruder.”
It was a bobcat, police discovered.
The feline had made its way into the Kirkland resident’s home last week.
The bobcat was immediately discovered by one of the responding officers.
Footage shared by police showed the animal standing at the top of the homeowner’s stairs.
On Monday, August 31, the Kirkland Police Department shared a Facebook post detailing the discovery.
“Cat burglar apprehended,” the Kirkland Police Department captioned the post.
Before corralling the animal, officers took steps to monitor it safely.
Officers used an “unmanned aircraft” to keep an eye on the feline, according to police.
The wild cat was then safely corralled in a room.
“This allowed officers to maintain a safe distance and guide the response without placing anyone at unnecessary risk,” police said.
Then Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials arrived.
The bobcat was sedated, according to police.
Following the sedation, the animal was released near a local creek, according to police.
Police said the bobcat was taken to the area of Forbes Creek.
The release site was “close to the natural habitat where it was found,” police said.
Another video shared by police captured the release.
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The video showed the bobcat racing out of a cat kennel and into the woods upon its release.
Authorities also looked at how the feline could have gotten into the house.
The bobcat potentially entered the Kirkland resident’s home by scaling a tree and hopping into an open window, according to authorities.
This potentially occurred after the wild animal noticed the homeowner’s pet cat, according to authorities.
Yet there were no injuries as a result of the incident.
There were no injuries to officers.
There were no injuries to the homeowner.
There were no injuries to the bobcat.
There were no injuries to the domesticated cat.
Following the encounter, law enforcement shared safety guidance.
“If you encounter a bobcat, give it plenty of space and never approach or feed it,” police advised.
“Washington Fish and Wildlife also recommends keeping pets indoors, especially between dusk and dawn, and securing small livestock and poultry. If a bobcat enters your home, move people and pets away from the area and call 911.”
Bobcats are quick hunters, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
The animals can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
They are mostly active during dawn and dusk hours.
The wild felines can be found throughout the U.S., where most bobcats in the world are located.
They also inhabit Mexico and southern Canada, the National Zoo says online.
Their diet includes rabbits and hares.
Their diet sometimes includes other wild animals, including squirrels, small deer and snakes.
They are also known to prey on domesticated animals, such as cats and dogs.
Kirkland is located about a 15-mile drive northeast from Seattle.
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