Large Feline Chills in the Shade Before Fleeing Sonoma County Back Yard

Is there a big cat, perhaps a mountain lion or bobcat, roaming the back yards of Sebastopol?

Since Friday afternoon, two people have reported that they saw a large cat in the area of Elphick Road and Bollinger lane in unincorporated Sebastopol according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.

A call came into the Sheriff's Department at 12:49 p.m., Saturday, in which the caller told police that a large cat appeared from underneath their deck and crossed their yard to an area of shade, according to the Sheriff's Department.

The big cat rested in the shade for a few minutes before fleeing the area, the Sheriff's Department said.

"Based on the information provided, the large cat was described to be more similar to a bobcat than a mountain lion," a Sheriff's Department alert read. "Until this information can be confirmed, the Sheriff’s Office recommends area residents remain on alert."

Bobcats do not generally pose as much of a threat to people as mountain lions. Bobcats are generally about twice the size of domestic cats. Bobcats generally feed on small rodents, pets, and smaller livestock. However, as with any wild carnivorous animal, caution and safety is paramount, the alert read.

On Friday, the Sheriff's Department received a similar call, generated from the same area, about a possible mountain lion sighting. A report came in that a moutain lion was seen wandering in an open field around 1:30 p.m., Sheriff's Lt. Clint Schubel said.

The sheriff's office sent a deputy to the scene and notified the state Department of Fish and Games, Shubel said, but could not located the feline and did not receive any further reports until Saturday.

The Sheriff’s Office recommends keeping a safe distance. To scare away the cat, make loud noises. Keep domestic animals in a secure enclosure. Do not leave pet food outside. In the rare occasion that a bobcat attacks a human, fight back and alert the authorities by calling 911.

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Bay City News contributed to this report.