Posted on 01/13/2020 6:43:08 PM PST by nickcarraway
Surrounded by three coyotes in the backyard of his family's Highland Park home Monday night, a brave cat named Max held his own and tried to fight them off all by himself -- and the tense standoff was captured on video.
Maya Gurrin and her husband were watching a movie in their home on Crestwood Way when they noticed a shadow of a tail through the window.
The went outside to check it out and were stunned to find a group of coyotes in their yard.
“I just kind of scream and lunge at them, and then they run away, and Max comes, like, strolling in as if nothing happened,” Gurrin told KTLA on Friday.
Little did the Gurrins know that until they scared away the coyotes, the animals had surrounded their beloved pet, possibly eyeing him as dinner.
Then, they checked a surveillance camera.
“It wasn’t until we saw the security footage, we were like, ‘Oh my God, he was out there for a good 30 seconds at least just fighting these guys off,’” Gurrin recalled.
The coyotes tower over and outnumbered Max, but he wouldn't back down.
The cat repeatedly lunged at the coyotes as each approached separately, forcing them to back up momentarily, the video showed. But they kept coming right back at him until his owners eventually frightened them off.
“I knew he was like, an outdoor cat and could fend for himself, but nothing like that,” Gurrin said.
Though she can laugh about it now, Gurrin acknowledges the incident could have had a much different -- and tragic -- outcome.
So even though Max prefers being outside, the couple is trying to figure out a way to balance his need for freedom with their concern for his safety.
“He is miserable inside, it really breaks our heart,” Gurrin said.
The solution, for now, is a harness that can be used to walk the cat -- though his owner admits she’s uncertain if he’ll be OK with that.
The Gurrins have lived in the area for a couple of years and have seen coyotes walking in the street before. But they’ve never seen them come close to the cat before.
In the aftermath of the incident, Gurrin warned fellow pet owners in her neighborhood to be careful.
“Yes, [the coyotes] saw dinner," she said. "But they were not scared and it even took them a second to kind of move when we went outside."
Coyotes suck, cats suck too.
ping
Can’t hug every cat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CheBneJ9HmA
I’m so glad Max was able to survive THREE coyotes. They so easily could have slipped behind him. In a coyote-infested area, the owners were STUPID to let Max out. His survival is just such a miracle. With enough topographical variety and toys, he can have a good time indoors, too.
That kitty is lucky to be alive. Pet owners and parents need to keep their dogs, cats, and small children inside — and shoot every coyote they can find.
The cat would never see or know a owl coming at it.
Where was Minute Mouse? Maybe he set the whole thing up.
My mini-dachshund latched onto the throat of a Rhodesian Ridgeback! We had to pull “Fritz” off before he hurt “Bear”.
Probably the coyote feared for exposure of their throats to a low-down critter.
You’ve seen “Honey-Badger don’t care”. (!)
Pet cats need to be kept indoors at all times, period. There are too many ways that they can be harmed, killed, or contract diseases when they roam outdoors.
The lesson here is: Fight for your life and make the bastards pay for it. You never know what life-saving break will come your way.
Those coyotes are lucky to be alive. Good thing the lady intervened and stopped Mad Max!
Quicker youtube link.
The one making the vid should have been killing those coyotes which are nothing but vermin needing extermination.
I’ll take a brave cat over coyotes any day.
But it’s true: if you love your cats, keep them indoors.
We had a mini dachshund named Fritz . He was an amazing ratter !
I was out walking my 2 labs on my grandpa’s farm when a coyote crossed my path about 50 feet ahead. He looked well-fed and confident, not scrawny and skittish like the others I’ve seen.
He just looked over at me and kept on going. Luckily the dogs didn’t see him or it might have gotten bloody.
The vid was caught on surveillance video.
They look like young coyotes, probably brothers, and hunting as a pack. An experienced coyote would have been alone and would have taken the cat in a swift, economical manner.
Well, maybe when we read about you fending off three guys each more than twice your size, we’ll stop thinking you suck too.
Used to have a Siamese that did backflips for joy when he saw his harness come out. Cracked the neighbor up seeing the cat strolling along like a dog.
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