Bobcats are on the prowl for hunting down many local roaming cats that belong to the households in Southlake and Colleyville, TX. A homeowners' association is planning on setting out traps this week to try to catch a bobcat that is alleged to have killed many small pets, including several family owned cats.
One of the cats was found with only the remains of its tail. The cat owners were devastated and urged to have the bobcats removed from the area.
However, some people are dubious about the method they chose for the problem, since bobcats actually provide a lot of benefits for the communities. They keep the population of many small wild animals under control (such as rodents, skunks, or others that sometimes sneak into people's home and create destruction). Bobcats are afraid of humans, so they don't pose any harm. In fact, they are intimidated by medium or large sized dogs and would run away from them in close distance.
People that oppose the idea of wiping out bobcats in the area say that roaming cats are the main cause of the decrease in the number of songbirds. In fact, the damage roaming cats can do to the ecosystem is much greater in comparison. They suggest keeping all the cats indoors to prevent their pets from getting preyed on by the bobcats is a much better approach for the situation.
What's your thought on this issue?