Bobcat found perched at top of Kirkland stairs after 911 call

A Washington homeowner who reported banging inside their house called 911 and officers found a bobcat perched at the top of the stairs, the Kirkland Police Department said.

Officers responded last week to a Moss Bay neighborhood home and used a drone to monitor the animal’s movements inside, allowing them to keep a safe distance and coordinate their response, police said. Police video shows the bobcat growling while perched at the top of the staircase.

Officers corralled the animal into an isolated room until the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife arrived, Kirkland police said. The bobcat was sedated and later released near Forbes Creek, close to the area where it was found.

Police said they believe the bobcat climbed a tree and entered through an open window, possibly after being drawn inside by the resident’s cat. The homeowner’s cat was found unharmed. No injuries were reported to the homeowner, responding officers or the bobcat, police said.

Kirkland police and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife urged residents not to approach or feed bobcats and to give them plenty of space. The wildlife agency also recommended keeping pets indoors, especially between dusk and dawn, and securing small livestock and poultry.

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