Bob Cat

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Jiji from St Louis on 9/7/2009 9:45:27 PM:

Has anyone seen Bob cat in the trail? How harmful are they and where did
you see (near which town). Is there any other harmful creatures.. I bike
a lot in Katy alone and have never seen anything dangerous. but I was
reading a trail book which had bobcat info and got worried?

kim from independence, mo on 9/8/2009 6:41:16 AM:

I have not seen any on the Katy, but did see one on the Little Blue Trace in Independence. This one took off immediately. It is very unusual to see one, as they stay away from people. They aren't going to bother anyone. Do a little research - they aren't dangerous unless you are a field mouse.

Paulie from Knoxville on 9/8/2009 8:19:37 AM:

There have numerous "Bigfoot" sightings near Hartsburg over the years. I think that's about the scariest critter your gonna run into.

Paulie

Diane from Scott AFB, Illinois on 9/8/2009 10:49:02 AM:

Snakes...go to http://www.bikekatytrail.com/talk.aspx?thid=2974¬efmt=1&sortby=0&pg=6

Cathy from Jefferson City on 9/8/2009 11:58:23 PM:

Most of the time when I ride the trail I see at least one snake. I usually see them far enough ahead of time to stop and give them a chance to get across, so hopefully we won't be in the same spot at the same time. I've seen a fox, and some vultures (YUK! it creeped me out) eating trailkill.

And I've seen turtles and deer, and barking dogs, and one real mean old lady at Wainwright. She was by far the scariest creature I've encountered riding the trail. I do sometimes wonder about whether there are wilder creatures out there.

Anonymous on 9/9/2009 7:37:29 AM:

Cathy,

Check the critters out at Deon's Bar in Pilot Grove about 7 in the evening, far scarier than anything on the trail..

jd from gkc on 9/9/2009 9:31:14 AM:

I've seen bobcats on the Prairie Spirit Trail in KS (early in the morning) and also near the Kansas River from a bridge (on a bike). So I know they exist along the Missouri as well.

They look similar to a big house cat, but are slightly taller and leaner with slightly longer legs and bigger paws. Thus, they will not attack large prey like humans. Their pointed ears and missing tail are futher distinctive ID's.

Since they tend to avoid open areas, I was lucky to see them at all. :)

Ken from St. Charles on 9/9/2009 5:46:22 PM:

I saw a bobcat on the Hamburg trail a couple years ago. It was right near the water treatment plant. We were headed downhill, and it was in the right tire track as we came around the curve. It was walking away from us, and I could make out the very distinctive point of its ears. Once it heard us, it was gone like a flash.

MAH from Blue Springs, MO on 9/10/2009 6:29:45 AM:

Saw one west of Calhoun a few yers back. It was on the trail but as soon as it saw/heard me it took off across the fields and was gone even before I could grab my camera. It was about 7:00 AM.

KDB from Overland Park on 9/10/2009 11:42:03 AM:

my wife and I saw a bobcat on the Indian Creek bike trails in Leawood last year. Was slowly crossing the path up ahead of us, then quickly moved toward the creek as soon as he looked up and saw us.

howard hughes blues on 9/12/2009 5:46:48 AM:

Is a cougar the same as a bobcat? I was riding on the Tomahawk creek trail a couple years ago and a guy stopped me and said he had just seen a cougar. Showed me the tracks. Said they had come from Colorado a few years earlier following the deer herds.

MAH from Blue Springs, MO on 9/12/2009 5:34:57 PM:

Nope, they are different. Here's a link that describes the differences.
http://www2.ucsc.edu/police/cougarvbobcat.htm
I know without a doubt I saw a bobcat west of Calhoun a few years ago.
I may?/possibly?/wonder? if I saw a cougar a year or so back. It was early morning, lots of rabbits on the trail, river was flooded and covering lots of bottom land. It was way up in the distance on the trail and as I got a bit closer I thought maybe a cougar from the shape and stance of the body, looks of the tail, and how it leapt up off the trail into the hillside. BUT, I'm not 100%, it may have been my over active immagination taking over...but I do know it spooked me and I cut my ride short. There are cougars in MO. I've been told though that out in the wilds and on the Katy, there is such an abundant source of wild food for them they have no interest in pursuing a human and in fact would avoid them.

Frank Lee from Beautiful downtown Goldman Mo. on 9/12/2009 9:11:48 PM:

No, a cougar is not the same as a Bobcat! They are bigger, faster and more aggressive. There have been instances out west of them attacking cyclists, it seems they go for the faster than normal movement, so I have read. We do not have them in Missouri, but some people would not agree with me on that.

Jiji on 9/13/2009 1:21:30 AM:

Thanks everyone. Its makes me feel better to know that bobcats avoid humans. Some areas
of katy gets very deserted and you see no human trace. So wanted to be pre-cautious.

Anonymous on 9/23/2009 7:51:57 AM:

Let's see... I am generally on foot when I am on the trail and have seen a bobcat just to the west of Sedalia. I have also seen coyotes, more deer than I can count, snakes, turtles, spiders, groundhogs, turkey buzzards, owls, herons, etc.
The common thread? All were far more afraid of me than I was of them.
No bigfoot sightings as of yet. ;-)

Carol Rowland from Lee's Summit on 10/8/2009 4:45:15 PM:

I also saw a beautiful bobcat a few years ago on the Indian Creek Trail in Overland Park. I
had just topped a hill and was heading down again and just up ahead under an overhead
bridge/tunnel was a bobcat just sitting right in the middle of the trail. I immediately stopped
on my bike to be able to view him longer and he just sat there for about 5 or 6 seconds then
just ran off! Of course my husband who was behind me didn't get there in time to see him.
Every time I ride there I think of him again. They are MUCH more afraid of us than the
reverse. They won't harm anyone, just the odd mouse as was mentioned earlier :)

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