Rancho El Dorado resident Donald McPherson experienced a surprise encounter Friday. 

“My puppy went wild as she chased this off my wall,” McPherson posted online, complete with a photo of a bobcat. 

“Be careful with your little ones,” McPherson warned. “The cat hung around for a bit. Must be hungry.” 

Further south in Province, another bobcat was sighted last summer on Heavenly Place. It was walking right down the sidewalk before meandering between two empty snowbird homes fronting a pond. 

Like domestic cats, bobcats don’t pose a real threat to humans, but they are known to kill small dogs and pet cats, if the opportunity arises. The same with coyotes. 

Darren Julian, urban wildlife specialist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said Maricopa homeowners with small pets should be vigilant when letting their pets out to do their business.  

When it comes to Maricopa wildlife sightings, Julian recommends reporting it to AZGFD by calling 623-236-7201. 

Julian said five wildlife sightings over the past year in Maricopa were reported: a bobcat, a coyote, a skunk, an unspecified bird (likely an annoying cormorant) and a deer. 

“As these animals become more comfortable, they get bolder,” Julian said, adding he’s heard reports of coyotes walking within a few feet of humans before trotting off. 

They are wild, so it’s best not to mess with them beyond a photo from a safe distance. 

Julian said securing a yard’s fencing is also key to protect your family fur baby from the likes of wily coyote. 

“Coyotes and bobcats are figuring out where humans are concentrated, so the food source is greater for them,” he said. 

Water sources such as ponds and irrigation attract wild birds and smaller rodents, such as rabbits, he said, which are common in many Maricopa neighborhoods. 

Irrigation creates more seed and other food sources for prey such as birds, which then attracts predators, he said.