As winter nears, coyotes get ‘more brazen’ – and cat owners more nervous

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Residents in the Westmount area are on edge after several recent coyote sightings and incidents, an example of “brazen” behaviour common in the fall months, one local expert says.  

Neighbours in the city’s west end report seeing coyotes out in the open and prowling residential backyards early in the morning and at night. 

Lois Parker and her husband spotted a coyote weeks ago on vacant land next to their home, near Commissioners Road and Topping Lane.  

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“The coyote took off running straight east down the sidewalk on Commissioners,” she said. 

The couple, who take frequent bike rides to Greenway Park, saw another coyote just days ago bolting across Springbank Drive during the morning commute.  

“One ran right in front of cars just west of the Coves,” she said. “The coyote ran from the south side of the road over to the north, across four lanes.” 

There are several missing cat posters on telephone poles in the neighbourhood, she said.  

One woman, who lives on Guildford Crescent with her family, said her 12-year-old cat Spartacus, an indoor-outdoor feline, was fatally injured by a coyote a few weeks ago. 

“I was getting the kids ready for school and my neighbour knocked on my door and told me he found my cat in his backyard,” she said. “Other people’s cats have gone missing. Mine was found and at least I could give him a proper burial.”  

Another neighbour on Guildford Crescent set up a trail cam in his backyard and captured nighttime images of two coyotes. 

Coyotes are not uncommon in London, one expert said, especially in neighbourhoods near parks or environmental areas. They are opportunistic omnivores who will go where food is available and are likely to be more active at this time of year as they prepare for the winter. 

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“They’re going to be gathering food for their young. They’re in winter prep mode right now, so they’ll be more active than usual and maybe a little bit more brazen,” said Brandon Williamson, land management co-ordinator at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. 

Coyotes may view domestic cats and small dogs as prey. Areas with large feral cat populations can attract coyotes, Williamson said. 

Urban coyotes are typically timid around humans, but may learn to associate people with food, feel more comfortable and get too close. Coyote conflicts with humans are rare, Williamson said. 

“Most of the time, human-coyote conflicts arise when an off-leash pet goes into an area, has an encounter with a coyote then runs back to the owner with the coyote chasing it,” he said.

Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry does not provide direct coyote control in cities, instead delegating the role to municipalities. The ministry said Monday it has not received any recent reports about coyote sightings in London.

Municipalities are responsible for taking appropriate actions when there’s ongoing conflict between humans, the ministry’s website said. 

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The public can report coyote sightings online at the London city hall website, a spokesperson for the city said in an email. City officials have not received any recent complaints about coyotes in the Westmount area.  

Some rural municipalities cull coyote populations due to the risks they pose to grazing animals, Williamson said.  

“Urban centres, like London, could do that, too, if they felt it was necessary. However, a lot of the thinking is that we are living in their territory as well, so the strategy is living with them, instead of against them,” he said. 

jbieman@postmedia.com 

Coyote prevention tips 

• Never feed coyotes and remove outdoor sources of food, such as pet food.
• Keep pets indoors and walk dogs on a leash.
• Put garbage out the morning of pick-up, not the night before.
• Remove items that attract coyote prey animals, such as birdfeeders or compost.
• Discourage coyotes from entering your property with a two-metre fence or motion-sensor lighting.
• If you encounter a coyote, back away slowly and act big and loud to scare them away.

Source: London city hall, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

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