Photo: Jim Noiles
Leanne Kalabis, who lives in Nelson, British Columbia, was surprised to come home recently to find a bobcat in her basement. The poor, confused animal probably got in because a door had blown open while the owner was gone. Once in, though, the animal couldn't find its way out again, and became agitated, lunging at a window. Kalabis describes the chaotic scene to BC Local News:
"Initially I just saw the front of its face and thought, 'oh, it's just someone's cat,' but then I saw the rest of it," Kalabis said.
The animal was about three times the size of a house cat, with the distinctive black-tufted ears and stubby tail that could only belong to a bobcat. Kalabis' dog, with a slight size advantage, went after the animal.
"They battled it out for a little bit, then the bobcat scaled the wall towards a window and got into the blinds," Kalabis said. "It became pretty entangled in the blinds, as it was thrashing and hissing at my dog."
Kalabis called the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a neighbor, who together MacGyvered a way to free the feline. Using duct tape, they connected two broom sticks together and attached a knife to the end. With this makeshift spear, they cut the animal free from the blinds and shooed it out the door.
The moral of the story? If something similar happens to you, call for professional help and keep a safe distance. At the end of the ordeal, you and the animal will be glad you did.
Photo: Bryant Olsen/flickr
Above is a less terrified bobcat in its natural habitat, which typically doesn't include blinds.
Related on MNN: