Bobcat Spotted In Woods Near Northside Hospital Cherokee

CANTON, GA — While waiting for the birth of their son, a Woodstock couple was surprised when they looked out the window of their room at Northside Hospital Cherokee to see a bobcat in the woods.

The couple, who had a healthy baby boy named Dansby, was at the hospital last weekend when they saw the bobcat along the edge of the hospital property near the woods, WSB-TV reported.

Dad-to-be, Dusty Hemphill, told the TV station he saw the bobcat come out of tall grass, stroll along the road and then returned to the brush. He said the bobcat never came close to the building.

An official for Northside Hospital said the bobcat was only seen once.

"And to be clear, it was seen outside near the edge of the woods adjacent to the hospital," the hospital said. "It was not inside the hospital. If you’re familiar with that hospital campus, you know that there are a lot of woods."

Kaitlin Goode, Urban Wildlife Program Manager, Game Management, with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said bobcats are typically active at dusk and dawn, however they can be active at any time.

"With the shorter days and colder temperatures, it’s not uncommon to see them moving around during the day," Goode said. "Bobcats can be found in any part of Georgia. They generally avoid highly urbanized areas, but young males can move through trying to establish their territory. We don’t get a lot of calls about human-bobcat conflict. They can take small livestock and cats, but it’s not very common."

To learn more about bobcats, visit the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' fact sheet.