Missouri Woman Pets a Kitten That’s Actually a Fierce Bobcat
When you see an animal that isn't yours, you have to be careful before you try and pet it. A Missouri woman found this out the hard way when she thought she was petting a kitten which was actually a bobcat in a bad mood.
An outdoor website called Advnture asked the question what do you do if you see a bobcat in the wild? Surprisingly on their list you will not see "go pet it as soon as possible". I'm so surprised. They say "don't run" and "don't turn your back to it", but "pet it" is non-existent. They do mention that it's not likely you'll ever get attacked by a bobcat (unless you pet it) since they're naturally shy animals that try to avoid people. If you do corner one, that's when you're asking for big bobcat trouble.
I was once bitten by a duck at the St. Louis Zoo (this really happened) so I cast no stones. However, it's important that this "I accidentally petted a bobcat" event be a teachable moment. We live and we (hopefully) learn.
