Vicki Starr did not know what type of animal killed three of her outdoor cats in her back yard in Arlington.
Then surveillance video from a neighbor’s home early Tuesday captured a fourth cat being attacked and the likely culprit: a pair of coyotes.
“I mean, they just grabbed it,” Starr told KDFW Fox 4 this week.
Starr, who lives on Kiowa Drive just south of I-30 in Arlington, reported the coyotes to the city’s animal services department. Arlington city spokeswoman Susan Schrock said Friday the department is conducting additional patrols in the neighborhood, but it does does not typically remove urban wildlife unless it poses a public health threat.
“A variety of urban wildlife can be found throughout Arlington, which is home to numerous creeks and greenbelts,” Schrock said.
Urban coyotes play an essential role in managing local rodent populations, according to the Dallas coyote management plan. They are usually drawn to residential areas if food, shelter or unattended pets are accessible.
Still, residents in the neighborhood told Fox 4 they are worried. Carolyn Hagan, Starr’s neighbor who captured video of the attack, said she is concerned for her 9-year-old grandson who lives down the street.
“When they run out of cats, what are they going to go after?”
Coyotes rarely attack humans, but some instances have occurred. Earlier this year, three children were reportedly bitten by a coyote at Parkway Central Park in Arlington, about 1.5 miles from Starr’s neighborhood. A coyote was captured and euthanized. In 2022, a 2-year-old boy was hospitalized after a coyote attack in Lake Highlands.
If you encounter a coyote, authorities recommend trying to scare the animals away. That includes waving arms above the head, shouting or making loud noises, tossing objects near but not at the coyote and spraying water in its direction.
Arlington encourages all coyote sightings and interactions be reported on its online form under wildlife sightings. If the coyote is being violent, call 911 immediately.
Starr told Fox 4 she is keeping a close eye on her pets for now.
“I’m even thinking about going and, this sounds stupid, but going and getting scarecrows,” she said. “They’ll see it and stop and back away.”
