[Bonny]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

This is hearsay. I was walking in Lynnhaven near the Postal Center and a woman I know from these journeys told me that a cat had gone missing and the owner could not find it for a few days. Then she found it extremely torn up and dumped near her house. The home owner had also noticed the ripped into lanai screen a few days after her cat disappeared.

Again, this is from someone who is probably getting it from someone else.

I had thought coyotes take their prey away and eat it and do not bring it back? Bobcat? My fellow Lynnhaven dog walker had told me that there had been sightings of a Bobcat.

I suppose this could be a very nasty "Fatal Attraction" type neighbor dispute but there was no indication that was the case.

It's funny sometimes how we hear these stories. I heard a similar story from someone that heard from someone that it happened Hadley.

[David Moon]

Florida is full of critters, there's just no around it. And the habits of your close neighbors (like leaving dog food or bird seed out) can attract animals like rats... rats have been a big issue in our neighborhood off and on.

I've only seen a fox, or perhaps a small coyote, once... and it was chasing a rabbit. It saw me and the dog, then ran off.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by prbabyprincess

This is what I hate about the villages,we cannot fence our yards f or our protection and our dogs.In my house,I cannot go out to the lanai because my back door neighbor sits all day smoking in hers and have a large dog that at t a c k everyone who goes by.I am allergic to smoke,so lanai is out for me to enjoy.We have huge cats,possums,rats as big as the ones in NY,rabbits,snakes and once we have an alligator who walk away from the lake.

Like others have said, you knew about the prohibition of fenced yards before you bought here. A glassed in lanai would solve the smoke problem. You could probably make a profit on your home and find a better suited site in The Villages, too.

I have been here full time for 6 years. I have seen one cat by my lanai, no possums, no rats, some rabbits and two resident snakes. I like the rabbits and the two snakes. No raccoons, no coyotes, but quite a few cougars at Katie Belle's! Got to be careful, those cougars hunt in packs.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Bonny

It's funny sometimes how we hear these stories. I heard a similar story from someone that heard from someone that it happened Hadley.

I had thought it might be something like that.

Some of the story does not make any sense like why you would not notice a rip in your lanai screen big enough to drag a cat through as well as to fit whatever dragged the pet through that space. Supposedly, the cat was missing for days and then found pretty much unrecognizable as a cat.

I did look rather speculatively at the woman who told me this. Sometimes all that reading of philosophers for my BA degree makes me a little too critical for my own good. Then to top that off with a Law Degree and two more degrees between these. I do not know if the woman I talked to about this story is on TOTV or on Facebook or not. So, I often wonder if this is so-and-so from Talk of the Villages. And even though I know real names from Facebook I have way too many friends on Facebook to always match a name with a face.

[Happy Villager 1]

The incident with the cat taken from the lanai did occur twice! The first one happened in The Village of Caroline to our friend. Her cat loved to be on the lanai and she was in the kitchen preparing dinner when she heard a noise. She went to the lanai and there was a hole in the screen and her cat was missing. She thought her cat got out on it's own perhaps trying to get at a bird. She even posted a lost cat ad in the Daily Sun. Now it has happened again only this time they found the cat's collar and some fur. This was told to me by a neighbor that knows the person this happened to. No one knows what type of animal did it. We have to be very proactive in protecting our pets with so much wild life around us. I for one am glad people talk so that we can all be made aware of what could happen.

[tomwed]

I suppose there is a way to make a black wooden framed insert with chicken wire that fits in the bottom of the lanai opening that is close to invisible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTe93kY7TrQ

Instead of a metal frame you make a wooden frame.
Instead of screen material you use chicken wire.
The screen goes on the bottom of the lanai behind the existing screen. If it's black and a tight fit I don't think it would be noticeable.

[FosterMomma]

I didn't understand any of that

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Happy Villager 1

The incident with the cat taken from the lanai did occur twice! The first one happened in The Village of Caroline to our friend. Her cat loved to be on the lanai and she was in the kitchen preparing dinner when she heard a noise. She went to the lanai and there was a hole in the screen and her cat was missing. She thought her cat got out on it's own perhaps trying to get at a bird. She even posted a lost cat ad in the Daily Sun. Now it has happened again only this time they found the cat's collar and some fur. This was told to me by a neighbor that knows the person this happened to. No one knows what type of animal did it. We have to be very proactive in protecting our pets with so much wild life around us. I for one am glad people talk so that we can all be made aware of what could happen.

Thanks for that information.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by MiaW1948

I didn't understand any of that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTe93kY7TrQ

Instead of a metal frame you make a wooden frame.
Instead of screen material you use chicken wire.
The screen goes on the bottom of the lanai behind the existing screen. If it's black and a tight fit I don't think it would be noticeable.

It is a lot of work.

[glogeo]

I would like more info on these coyotes. Does this happen mostly during certain times of the year or year round? Does it happen during the day, or only at night ? Is there something like Mace that will scare them away? I'm short - I cannot imagine holding my dog's leash, a little bag, my keys, and being able to hit a wild animal with a bat (without letting loose of the leash.)
Thanks so much.

[mikeandnancy1112]

Because of the recent incident of the coyote taking that precious dog, I now wear my hubby's whistle, when he was a cop, around my neck when I take our little Roxi out. And always, always her leash is used! Also, my hubby wears it when he takes her out too. This whistle will definitely scare off any animal who might approach her.

[glogeo]

Lived here since 2001 and this is the first I've heard of this issue, too.

[glogeo]

Great idea !!! My husband was a cop, too. Thank you so much !

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by Happy Villager 1

The incident with the cat taken from the lanai did occur twice! The first one happened in The Village of Caroline to our friend. Her cat loved to be on the lanai and she was in the kitchen preparing dinner when she heard a noise. She went to the lanai and there was a hole in the screen and her cat was missing. She thought her cat got out on it's own perhaps trying to get at a bird. She even posted a lost cat ad in the Daily Sun. Now it has happened again only this time they found the cat's collar and some fur. This was told to me by a neighbor that knows the person this happened to. No one knows what type of animal did it..

That is terrible! I am glad I have a glassed in lanai.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by mikeandnancy1112

Because of the recent incident of the coyote taking that precious dog, I now wear my hubby's whistle, when he was a cop, around my neck when I take our little Roxi out. And always, always her leash is used! Also, my hubby wears it when he takes her out too. This whistle will definitely scare off any animal who might approach her.

My loud whistle arrived today in the mail. I suppose a cop's whistle or coach's whistle would also work. I also ordered a silent whistle. If one does not work, I will go for the other one.