Bobcat Saunters Through MetroWest Neighborhood

ASHLAND, MA — The biggest wild cat found in Massachusetts is back in MetroWest.

Ashland resident Steve Davis recently captured a bobcat on his trail camera roaming through his backyard in a neighborhood off Route 135 near Wildwood Cemetery.

"Bobcat in Ashland! Coyotes are being evicted!" he wrote in a Facebook post about the sighting.

Although it's rare to see a wild cat on this side of Interstate 495, they have been roaming these parts for some time. As far back as 2015, bobcats have been spotted in Newton, Framingham, Walpole and Woburn. One was seen in Framingham in May.

In 2016, a bobcat bachelor was spotted in South Natick near the Sherborn line. The bobcat even went on to create his own Twitter account after all the attention.

Marion Larson, chief of information and education for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said bobcats have even made it to Cape Cod. One was photographed at Millennium Park in West Roxbury in 2019.

"Bobcats are 'common' but not commonly seen as they are a bit more furtive and shy," Larson said in an email. "Still, they appear to be learning that residential areas can be a great source of food — all the squirrels, chipmunks and other animals that are attracted to the food we humans leave out (bird seed) or (garbage, open compost)."

Since bobcats are carnivores, they tend to thrive wherever they can hunt down meat, Larson said. Bobcats don't pose a threat to humans, but they might hunt smaller pets and backyard livestock like chickens.

"Bobcats deal with human influences but tend to avoid areas with extensive agriculturally cleared lands that eliminate other habitat types," a state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife tip sheet reads. "Bobcats are adapting to suburban settings and may be seen in backyards and residential areas."

One thing to keep in mind: bobcats and mountain lions (also called cougars) are two very different animals. Cougars have been known to attack humans, but they don't live anywhere in New England — that is, if you trust the government.

Read more on local bobcat sightings:

• Worcester Bobcat Is Back — This Time During The Day
• Bobcat Spotted In Natick