A family of bobcats sneaked into one of the many foreclosed
houses in Lake Elsinore, California and its members spend their time
playing and riveting their new home’s neighborhood.
They were first noticed by neighbors on August 27, while
they were sunbathing on a side wall of the empty house in the Tuscany Hills
development. As they feared the animals were mountain lions, the neighbors
called 911.
Four police units arrived and ordered people in the area to
stay away from the neighboring streets, but as soon as they realized it was
only a family of bobcats, officers began taking photos with their cell phones.
They found that at least two adult bobcats and three young
ones occupied the vacant home.
Animal-control officials warned the residents in the area to
supervise their children and pets and not leave water outside their houses.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Monique Middleton of
Animal Friends of the Valley said that bobcats were not known to attack humans,
but they still can do a lot of damage. However, she said she expected the
animals to move on in a few weeks, where the kittens are old enough to travel.
Residents in the area have mixed reactions about their new
animal neighbors. Some of them say they feel closer to nature with the gang of
bobcats nearby, but others are quite worried about the trouble they could do.
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