PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. (WSVN) - - Some local wildlife came a little too close for comfort for the residents of a neighborhood near Port St. Lucie.
Area resident Pete Stromik did not expect to see what appeared to be an exotic cat right in front of his home in the Savanna Club community, Thursday afternoon.
“He was right here. Must’ve came between the houses there, crossed over to the driveway, across the lawn,” he said, “and then he went across the street there, dug around a little bit.”
Stromik is hardly a stranger to wildlife in his neighborhood.
“A lot of blue crabs, a lot of black racer snakes, a lot of nature,” he said. “I’ve seen a coyote at the end of the block.”
But he wasn’t sure what specific breed the frail looking visitor was.
Wildlife expert David Hitzig said there is no doubt in his mind.
“This is a bobcat. The identifying characteristic is the short stubby tail, but it’s clearly a bobcat,” he said.
Bobcats are actually pretty common in Florida. They often look for food around homes because they eat lizards, mice and frogs.
Hitzig said, just because they’re out during the day, doesn’t mean they’re rabid.
“Typically those animals succumb to those diseases long before they get into this physical condition,” he said.
Hitzig said the feline looked very thin and is likely quite ill.
“I’m surprised it’s still alive,” he said.
“It looked kind of mangy. I feel bad,” said Stromik. “He’s awful thin, like he might be sick.”
Stromik said he’s going to keep an extra close eye on his little dog Zooey for the next few days.
“Last night I was a little nervous walking him, but that won’t stop me,” he said.
Stromik’s wife said she also saw the bobcat wandering their neighborhood a few days later.
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