Brave Domestic Cat Fights Intruding Coyote

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The front porch featured in the clip above was the scene of an epic cat vs. coyote fight. A young coyote has ventured near the house, probably looking for food. However, what it found was the family cat and the cat was not happy about the intruder’s presence on the property. As the clip shows, it is not just guard dogs that protect our homes.

Cat Fights Off Visiting Coyote

At first, it looks as if the cat is cowering under a reclining bed but the kitty soon shows just how brave it is. The domestic cat emerges from under the bed to take a swipe at the coyote. The visitor fights back and lunges under the bed to get at the feline.

This is when the cat panics, realizes that it may have taken on more than it can handle, and tries to flee over the porch fence. In an aggressive move, the coyote reaches up and bites at the cat’s back, dragging it to the ground. However, once again, the cat fights back which unnerves the coyote.

Finally, the cat makes one last attempt to escape. It scales a post to reach a safe spot that is out of reach of the coyote. The kitty manages to cling on long enough for the coyote to get bored and run away.

Why Do Coyotes Visit Houses?

We don’t know where the above clip was captured but according to the Urban Coyote Research Project, they are found throughout most of North America. They now live near suburbs and cities as well as in rural areas. The scene we see in the above clip could become more common. Perhaps it has happened on your front porch?

The Colorado Division of Wildlife explains that our homes and towns offer sources of food, water, and shelter to coyotes and that is why they are attracted to these areas. Human settlements contain mice and squirrels for them to eat as well as garbage, bird seed, pet food, and even compost piles. Worryingly for this cat, some coyotes also view our smaller domestic pets as a potential food source!

This leads to conflicts between us (and our pets) and these wild animals. Coyotes lose their natural wariness of humans and become bolder. It is not appropriate to capture ‘urban’ coyotes and place them back in rural areas because they have adapted to living in built-up areas.

The best approach is to not attract them to your home by removing potential food sources. Also, the only sure way to protect your cat is to keep them indoors. You can read more in our A-Z Animals article on looking after an indoor cat.