San Jose neighborhoods on alert after several coyote sightings

SAN JOSE, Calif, (KGO) -- At least two San Jose neighborhoods are on alert after a beloved cat was killed, very likely by a coyote. Several sightings of coyotes have been reported in west and south San Jose.

Mimi the cat was beloved in a San Jose neighborhood and last week she became the victim of a coyote attack. Now, word is spreading through the neighborhood that pet owners should take precaution.

It was alarming to Daisy Ishibashi when she went outside to grab the paper and saw the remains of her neighbor's cat, Mimi. At first it looked like a rag.

"I came over to pick it up to throw it away, and that's when I realized that it was a cat that was lying there. You could see that the coyote had killed it," Ishibashi said.

Four coyote sightings have been reported to San Jose Animal Care in the Country Lane neighborhood of West San Jose and along Suisse Drive in South San Jose.

Suzanne Goodson saw one herself. "It was just kind of slinking down the street, a little bit on the thin side, I think," said Suzanne Goodson.

The situation has pet owners concerned. Katherine Goldberger has two cats. "They naturally want to be outside and I try to monitor. I think it's important to be inside by dusk, it's often times when the wild animals are out," Goldberger said.

It's believed the coyotes are following creek beds down from the hills into residential areas.

It's breeding and pup season, so they're hungry.

"Looking for food resources. Some of the things that we always tell citizens is to make sure that they don't have any sort of trash out with food or any sort of food in the area that they can eat, and they'll get used to the area," said San Jose Animal Care Capt. Jay Terrado.

Animal Care officers say if they can confirm a coyote killed Mimi, they will post warning signs so neighbors will take care. But Ishibashi has little doubt from what she saw.