Coyotes cause concern for South Bay pet owners after several cats killed

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- People living in Mountain View's Waverly Park neighborhood made at least eight coyote-related calls in the last three weeks.

Vector Control says while the amount of calls might seem surprising to some, those statistics are right on track for the summer.

On any given summer afternoon, the neighborhood is usually filled with people, pets, and the passing summer breeze.

However, recent cat carnage has interrupted that calm.

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"I got home at around like 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., and I just kind of came back and I thought that there was just a cat sleeping on my lawn," Ryan Diddams told ABC7. "But it was not sleeping."

He described seeing parts of his neighbor's cat, scattered on his family's front yard. Diddams said it was the work of a coyote.

"It was definitely a coyote. It was a big kind of dog, with that fluffy tail," he described.

The next morning, Diddams came across another terrible scene. This time, a second cat belonging to another neighbor. He said the second feline was killed in the same manner and was left again on his family's front lawn.

"It was terrible waking up to that," Diddams said. "I didn't like that at all."

Animal welfare experts told ABC7 News this behavior is typical of coyotes. Janet Alexander with Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority described the wild animals as opportunistic and easily adaptable.

RELATED: Pet owner says coyote killed beloved cat in Sunnyvale

"They're really looking for anything they can find," Alexander said.

She was referring to food. Alexander explained that during the summer months, coyotes are raising their young and scavaging for even more.

"They're omnivores," she explained. "They eat everything including meat, and also fruits and vegetables."

On Thursday, pet owners explained they were concerned, even fearful.

Many of them described their frustration at the coyote activity, especially as more neighborhood felines have gone missing.

"We've been keeping our cat under lock and key," Robin Diddams said. "We don't let him out anymore."

When asked whether people should be concerned about their own safety, Vector Control said coyote attacks on humans are very rare. Though, officials emphasized it's always a good idea for small kids to have adult supervision.

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