Bobcat family moves in

Cats seen in west Lawrence

A family of bobcats has taken up residence in a west Lawrence neighborhood this week. The first sighting was Monday.

“I thought it was a little mountain lion,” said Michelle Roberts-Freeman, as she described the unusual cat she and a friend saw in her backyard in the 3000 block of Longhorn Drive.

On Wednesday evening, Roberts-Freeman and her 5-year-old daughter, McKenzie, saw what they thought were three kittens near the backyard playhouse and swing set.

“We were sneaking up on them slowly,” Roberts-Freeman said. “Then I looked up and there was the mama cat standing there looking at me, about eight feet away. I started backing up slowly.”

That’s when Roberts-Freeman realized her new neighbors were bobcats. They have taken refuge among some rocks under a neighbor’s shed, which sits just over the property line from Roberts-Freeman and her husband, Dan Freeman.

The bobcats haven’t harmed anyone and haven’t acted threatening, the couple said. Nevertheless, they were keeping their dogs inside and their two daughters, McKenzie and 7-year-old Alexis, were staying close to their parents when they went outside.

The bobcats were staying mostly under the neighbor’s shed on Wednesday night, but had ventured out a few times, and Roberts-Freeman had taken some pictures of them. The couple also tried to find someone who could safely pick them up. Lawrence Police also came out to assess the situation. Police and local animal control officers aren’t trained to deal with wild animals, Sgt. Paul Fellers said.

A bobcat and three kittens have taken up residence among some rocks under a shed in a west Lawrence neighborhood.

Police eventually called a state park ranger who was going to try to trap the bobcats and relocate them.

The family’s dogs may have known about the cats before their owners did. Freeman said he took one dog outside late one night earlier this week and noticed it was acting strangely.

And he also has noticed something else.

“We have a lot of rabbits around here, but I don’t think I’ve seen as many lately,” Freeman said.