Watch: Bobcat Captured On Camera At Novato Home

NOVATO, CA — A Novato resident got an unexpected visitor when an apparent bobcat was recently caught creeping outside their home.

In this video as it appears on the Neighbors app, the animal walks past the camera in the front yard of the home.

"Keep (your) animals in," said the person who shared the video on the app. "I have three cats, and I sometimes leave food outside, so maybe that's why he was in my yard. But he was there at 8 a.m., so please be careful!"

Bobcats are members of the cat family along with lions and are often mistaken for mountain lions. However, bobcats are much smaller. They are only one quarter to less than one half the size of mountain lion. They are two or three times as large as a domestic house cat and more muscular, according to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Bobcats tend to weigh about 20 pounds and average about 30 inches in body length. They can stand almost 18 inches high. Despite a common misconception, bobcats do have tails.

They are nocturnal hunters, and they play an important role in containing prey populations. While they aren't known to be aggressive toward humans, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife recommends precautions to protect pets from bobcats.

• Off leash pets on trails are at increased risk of becoming prey for mountain lions, bobcats or coyotes, so don't let your pets roam off leash where they risk encounters with predators.
• Never approach a wild animal such as a mountain lion, coyote or bobcat.
• Give them an escape route.
• Pick up small pets and children.

Ring, the owner of the Neighbors app, is a Patch advertiser. Patch received no compensation for this article.