LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A cat-coyote duo captured making their way through a Henderson neighborhood has ignited a debate over whether the pair are unlikely friends, or inevitable enemies.
As Allison May drove through a Henderson neighborhood near Horizon and College Drives in mid-September, she said an orange domestic cat and a wild coyote appeared in the dark before her.
“Out of nowhere, they just popped up,” she explained. “From what I thought, I thought they were hanging out.”
May whipped out her phone to capture the bizarre moment on camera, as the cat followed the coyote up the street and out of sight.
“I was trying to keep my eyes on the cat because obviously I was worried and I was concerned about the cat, but the cat was keeping the situation in control,” May said.
While Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Doug Nielsen acknowledged he’s never seen a similar duo before, he is confident that the two are far from friends.
“That only exists in a make-believe world,” Nielsen said.
He explained, the cat’s arched back and fluffed fur indicates a defensive posture.
“My guess is that the cat is just being protective of his little territory or hers and doesn’t like the big canine being there,” Nielsen said.
He also explained why the coyote might not be attacking.
“It looks like it could possibly be a young coyote, and so it’s just kind of learning its way in the world and hasn’t figured that out yet,” he said. “He’s probably just as bewildered about that cat as we are.”
He said the video is far from a green light for pet owners to let their guards down. Never let cats or small dogs wander in coyote-prone areas, do not feed coyotes, and haze them whenever possible.
Meanwhile, May said she is hoping to connect with the cat’s owner so she can make sure the furry feline made it out okay.
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