WITH ILLUSTRATION

 

Coyotes Are Prime Suspects In Several Missing Pet Cases

By Steve Bigham

Cats are disappearing from their homes by the dozens and many in Newtown fear it may be the work of an ever-increasing coyote population.

Patricia Ryan of 10 Beckett Village lost a cat back in late August and believes her little “Cappuccino” fell victim to these “wild dogs.” She’s not the only one. Janice Solheim’s kitty turned up missing on Labor Day. Donna Tomasco’s cat never came home; neither did cats owned by Mary Pat Frobey and Anne Tabler. Debbie Osborne lost a chicken one afternoon this summer.

“Our cat’s name was Buttons. It was an outdoor cat. Then one day, it just disappeared. I think it was a coyote,” said Mrs Frobey.

All of these Newtown residents live in the same area of town, off Route 34 in Sandy Hook. Coyote sightings have, however, been made all over town.

“Keep your cats in at night,” warned Mrs Ryan, who has received numerous calls from residents since her letter to the editor regarding the issue appeared in the September 7 edition of The Bee.

Coyotes have long been prevalent in Connecticut, however, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); development has only recently driven them into populated areas.

Linda Martins of Beckett Village said she was awakened by what she described as blood-curdling howls this past summer. They were the kind of howls only an animal in serious distress would make.

A Roxbury man reportedly came face-to-face with a pack of coyotes while as he walked down his driveway to the mailbox. According to reports, the man remained calm, grabbed his mail, and simply returned to his house without incident. Some wonder what might have happened, however, if it had been a child who walked down the driveway that day. Coyote attacks on humans are rare, but they have been known to occur.

According to the DEP, a typical coyote weighs about 40 pounds and resembles a small, lanky German shepherd, but several characteristics distinguish it from a dog. Coyotes tend to be more slender, have wide, pointed ears; a long, tapered muzzle, yellow eyes, slender legs, small feet, and an uncurled, bushy tail that is carried low to the ground. Their fur is usually a grizzled-gray color with a cream-colored or white underside.

Coyotes are considered “opportunistic” feeders, eating primarily mice, white-tailed deer, woodchucks, and rabbits.

In Newtown, it appears, they are also feeding on domestic cats.

They often move in small packs, which makes them that much more dangerous. Coyotes can run up to 40 mph.