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Coyote killing cat in east Las Vegas valley prompts awareness of pet safety

Posted at 4:46 PM, Aug 10, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-10 22:14:42-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Keeping your pets safe from coyotes. An east valley resident has a warning to pet owners after she lost her cat in a coyote attack and it was all caught on security camera.

"She just napped outside and came in and ate her little food. She's a was very sweet."

Ann Lippert has fond memories of her adopted stray cat, Betty. Betty was killed by a coyote last week with the attack caught on camera. Lippert was surprised to see a coyote walking along the wall of her backyard.

RELATED STORY: Coyote attack in Las Vegas raises concerns over pet safety

"I couldn't believe when I saw it leap the fence as if it was a one-foot wall,” she said.

Lippert says she's never seen a coyote in the area until this one attacked her cat dragged it out of her backyard. She found Betty about two blocks away in her east valley neighborhood. After seeing Betty's injuries, she realized her other cat, Max was also likely killed a week before by a coyote as well.

"I love them for sure. The house is so empty right now without both cats,” she said.

Lippert made some flyers to help raise awareness in her neighborhood about pet safety.

"The lady the street said thank you for putting up the flyer. Two of my cats have gone missing in the past nine days,” she said.

State wildlife officials tell us coyotes attacking small pets are common because they are natural predators.

"Coyote can look out in the street at a cat or a dog and say 'Oh, that's Bill's cat or that's Sam's dog'. They just see something that has four legs and sometimes it's edible,” Doug Nielsen, Conservation Education Supervisor with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said.

RELATED STORY: Southern Nevada pet owners warned about coyote interactions

Nielsen says the animals frequently use the wash areas in the east valley as corridors to travel and advises pet owners to keep their small pets indoors at night when coyotes are usually on the prowl.

"If someone knowingly allows their cat to wander, in an area where they know coyotes are present, they're really gambling,” he said.

A gamble Lippert doesn't want to take any chances with, so she’s being extra cautious with her other cat.

"That kitty door gets locked. She doesn't go out for sure at night. Nine o'clock at night, that door is locked until sunrise,” she said.

Nielsen also says if you do encounter a coyote in your backyard or home, try to scare it away by spraying water or making loud noises, so it doesn't get used to human interaction.