Grammy Writes

To Renew or Not to Renew: The Bobcat Connection

Hello, Kitty!

Several days ago, I got an email from WordPress reminding me that my blog subscription is about to renew. That led to the inevitable question: should I cancel or should I renew? I haven’t posted anything in months! Then I thought, why not try to create a post again and see how it goes? So…

Even though I live in the city, our backyard borders a creek, a greenbelt, and a walking trail. Because of that, we get a surprising variety of wildlife: deer, coyotes, foxes, herons, owls and occasionally, a bobcat.

Last week, while working at the computer (not on my blog, obviously), I kept hearing a strange noise—kind of a screechy growl. Curious, I stepped out onto our second-story deck. Just off the deck is a tree, and perched in that tree was a young bobcat.

We made eye contact. He clearly saw me watching him, but he didn’t seem to mind. I quietly picked up my phone and snapped a couple of photos before heading back inside to observe from a distance.

Two hours later, he was still there. It was a hot, sunny day, but he sat calmly in the shade, looking perfectly content. From his perch, he had a full view of the world below—bunnies, squirrels, birds, and the occasional dog-walker. Every now and then, he would shift like he was getting ready to pounce, but he never did.

Three hours in, his mother showed up! She climbed partway up the tree and let out that same screechy growl I’d heard earlier, only lower and louder. It sounded like a scolding! Clearly, she wanted him to come down, but he stayed put and she left.

Four hours after I first spotted him, I stepped back out onto the deck. He was still at eye level with me, so I looked at him and said, “Hey buddy, I think your mama is irritated with you! Don’t you think it’s time to get down from that tree?”

As soon as I stopped speaking, he scurried down (no lie!) like he understood exactly what I was saying. I watched him run toward the creek, and within moments, his mom was right behind him, yapping the whole way. She must have been hiding somewhere in our yard the entire time, watching and waiting.

The young bobcat didn’t scare me, but realizing that his bigger, madder, and probably meaner mother had been camouflaged nearby all that time? That made me just a bit uneasy.

So, I guess I’m renewing the blog. I’m hoping that nature keeps handing me content on a silver platter, or in this case, a tree branch.

Here’s to unexpected visitors, hidden wild things, and stories waiting in the trees.

34 comments

  8. The Momma Bobcat was so patient, lesson for us all…

    “Here’s to unexpected visitors, hidden wild things, and stories waiting in the trees.” Amen…

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  14. A month after the fact I wondered about the answer to your “renew” question. Glad to see not only the answer, but the right one! Really enjoy your photography and related stories. These photos of bobcats are remarkable. As you say they’re typically in hiding, so closeups are rare. In a former neighborhood they would prey on house cats. They’re not to be messed with…

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    • Hi Dave! I haven’t seen either of the bobcats since our up close and personal, but I did see a fox as he was running away from me… which is the best direction to see them run! As for the blog, I decided to take the “no pressure” approach. We’ll see how that works!

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