What you should do if you see a bobcat in your yard

FOREST HILLS, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Tuesday, News 2 showed an amazing video of a large bobcat walking through the backyard of a Forest Hills home.

Wednesday, we talked to the resident who shot the video about what he and his neighbors think about a predator like that strolling through their neighborhood.

“Some just realize that if you live in Forest Hills you are going to see wildlife,” explained Richmond Ross. “You are going to see an occasional coyote, bobcat, or turkey, we have it all. But I think some people definitely do have some concerns, especially something like that, a predator, like a coyote or a bobcat because they will come after your animals.”

“He came out there by that thicket on the right and just followed the tree line and walked up through the front yard, actually, and just missed my dog by about five seconds, which is a good thing.”

Ross estimated that the bobcat weighed around 30 pounds.

Barry Cross from the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency said bobcats are not uncommon in Tennessee and mentioned what you should do if a predator like that shows up in your neighborhood.

“Any time you see wildlife in your neighborhood, especially larger wildlife, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, protect your kids, protect your small pets,” Cross said. “If you were to see one of these animals in your neighborhood, especially in close proximity to your yard, and it doesn’t run when it sees you, make sure it runs. Scare that animal off. That healthy fear of humans is what is good for them and it’s also good for the public at large.”

Cross also said that wild animals are a part of living in Tennessee and that they have learned to live around us, so we need to learn to live safely around them.