Most people think coyotes only live in the wilderness, running around the Arizona Strip, chasing rabbits. That is true, but they also make their way into areas where people live. If you have a job that starts early in the morning, you may have seen one these in the peripheral running through neighborhoods bordering the desert.
Wild animals including coyotes have made their way into urban areas where there is food they can scavenge and better hunting opportunities. They estimate there are 4,000 coyotes living inside Chicago. That is amazing! The density of coyotes in the city is greater than in the wild parts of Illinois.
I know a family who had an older dog that was smaller in size. They put him out late at night and the dog disappeared from the yard. They feel the only explanation is the coyotes that live not that far from their property line.
Coyotes mostly hunt small mammals like mice and rabbits, but they will go after cats and small dogs. If there is a feral cat population in the area, it can attract coyotes, especially if people are leaving food outside for them.
Photo by <a href=”https://unsplash.com/@wilking?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText”>Joshua Wilking</a> on <a href=”https://unsplash.com/photos/bgSKRrYFYxc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText”>Unsplash</a>
What are the best strategies to protect your pets from coyotes? This site list some strategies. Mainly, don’t let your pets run free at night and if you do let your pet out, stay nearby.
I like this idea for protecting cats.
- In treeless or open areas, erect “cat posts”—long pieces of wood (four inches by four inches or corner posts) that stand out of the ground at least 10 to 12 feet. These can be climbed by cats but not by coyotes
I would like to see a cat on a post. I would make a little fort at the top where the cat could shoot little arrows down at the invaders.
LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state
Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.
Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.
