What should you do if you see a bobcat?

Are there more cats than usual (and we don't mean domestic cats, the sort which people keep as pets) in the Sault and Algoma area recently?

We're talking about bobcats and other wild cats.

As reported earlier by SooToday, a Laird Township hobby farmer was alarmed to recently discover his 45 laying hens had been devoured by a bobcat.

There have been other reports of lynx in the Algoma region.

If you encounter a wild cat, what should you do?

Derek Goertz, Sault-based Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) management biologist, has supplied SooToday with some useful information.

"If the animal poses an immediate health and safety concern the police should be contacted with a 911 call, and then, if warranted, the police may contact MNRF for support in dealing with the situation," Goertz wrote in an email to SooToday.

The ministry says farmers, as a last resort, may kill a cougar, lynx or bobcat that is damaging their property.

If a cougar, lynx or bobcat is killed by a firearm, you must follow regulations and local bylaws.

Any killings of cougars, in particular, must be reported to the ministry, as they come under the Endangered Species Act of 2007.

Landowners may hire an agent, such as a trapper, to kill a wild cat.

"In situations where the animal is damaging or destroying personal property such as chicken coops and livestock, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1997 sets out legal actions property owners can take to deal with problem wildlife," Goertz wrote.

"This may include capturing, harassing or as a last resort killing the animal."

"There are important exceptions and requirements, and it is strongly recommended that MNRF is contacted for advice prior to implementing any action to ensure compliance with the law," Goertz wrote. 

Ministry advice states if you should encounter a bobcat, lynx or cougar you should never go near its young, never offer it food, don't run (as their instincts are to chase), stay together if you're with a group, face the animal and speak firmly while you slowly back away, don't crouch down (instead, try to appear "larger"), do not take your eyes off the animal or turn your back on it, and, if it does not go away, shout at it, wave your arms and throw anything you can at it.

You can make your property unwelcome to these animals by not putting meat, fish or sweet food such as fruit in your composter, wash your garbage cans and recycling containers with a strong-smelling disinfectant, don't leave garbage cans outside overnight, clean up all spilled garbage around your campsite or cottage, and (in the summer months) remove ripened fruit from trees and pick up vegetables and fallen fruit, clean up spilled food around bird feeders and feed pets indoors.

Lynx and cougars, Goertz wrote, usually try to avoid interaction with humans.

"Bobcats, on the other hand, are less secretive, and are quite comfortable living in close proximity to humans in both agricultural areas and on the edges of populated areas. They will often take advantage of green spaces within cities and towns.  As a result, the public has a much greater chance of encountering and viewing this cat species, especially when populations are elevated," Goertz said.

That said, bobcats and lynx pose little danger to humans, and reports of attacks on humans by these two cat species would be considered extremely rare.

However, Goertz cautioned lynx, and especially bobcats, are the more aggressive of the two species and will fight if they are cornered.

Bobcats and lynx, Goertz said, pose a greater risk to family pets such as dogs and smaller cats.

Bobcats will also prey on squirrels, chipmunks and other small mammals and birds which is why they are often reported in close proximity to active bird feeders during winter months.

"The southern portion of the District of Algoma, including Sault Ste. Marie, St. Joseph Island, and the North Shore area, currently has a fairly robust bobcat population and is thought to support some of the highest densities of bobcat in the province…this species is likely the most commonly encountered cat in this portion of Algoma," Goertz wrote.

"On occasion, MNRF does receive calls from the public regarding bobcats, lynx, and cougars, and on rare occasion wolverine."

Though you wouldn't know it if you looked out the window Sunday, Goertz said reduced snowfall has led to a higher bobcat population in our area this year, as they are seen in areas that receive relatively little snow accumulation.

Local bobcat populations go up or down depending on winter severity.

Lynx, with their large, heavily furred paws, are built to handle deep snow conditions and are the most common cat species found in central and northern Algoma.

"During times when their main prey species, namely snowshoe hare, are in short supply, they may venture further south than normal as was the case in the winter of 2014-2015," Goertz said.

"These two species (bobcat and lynx) are thought to be responsible for most cat reports the Sault Ste. Marie District MNRF receives," Goertz said, though he added there can be some misidentification of these cats by observers.

Goertz said the Ministry encourages people to report sightings of cougars, as they fall under the Endangered Species Act of 2007, though some observers wrongly identify bobcats as cougars.

Goertz added wolverine also come under the Endangered Species Act and are "very rarely" reported to the Sault Ste. Marie and District MNRF office.

They are more likely found in the Northwest area of Ontario, where they live in large territories of boreal forest and tundra.

For the most part, sightings of wild cats are just that.

Harmless sightings.

"In most cases, reports we receive are simply sightings that don’t result in concern around public health and safety or damage to personal property. In these cases no action is taken," Goertz wrote.

"Bobcat and lynx occasionally wander into the city of Sault Ste. Marie, but due to their propensity to avoid interaction with people, they most often quickly wander off into surrounding natural environments."

"A situation that would require trapping, relocating, or euthanizing big cats or wolverine would be extremely unusual," Goertz wrote.

"To my knowledge Sault Ste. Marie District MNRF has never encountered such a situation."