Understanding Pet Predators

Coyotes and other natural predators are here to stay.  They have inhabited just about every region in the United States from coast to coast.  They are spotted roaming in the deserts, mountains, resort properties, Country Clubs, golf courses, parks, suburban neighborhoods, towns, and bustling big cities, as well as can easily sneak into high-fenced private backyards with ease.  As we humans encroach upon their space more and more, the possibility of coyote and other natural predator encounters increases.  It is up to us to take the necessary measures to safeguard our pets to avoid interactions and conflicts. 
As a side note, there is another type of predator of pets – the human predator. Beware of unscrupulous individuals who will uncaringly steal your fur-baby for three reasons: resale for profit; bait for dogfight training and, yes, unfortunately, as a possible food source as deemed okay in certain cultures. 
The following are safety suggestions to help keep your precious dogs and cats safe while enjoying the outdoors and still allow natural predators to be wild. Pet predators are not limited to only coyotes. In fact, about 7% of predator attacks on pets are by bobcats, 2.5% from owls, and .5% from others such as mountain lions, eagles, and hawks. Contrary to popular opinion, raccoons are responsible for less than .001% of pet deaths.Most studies on coyote diets found that domestic cats are not a regular part of a coyote diet. Feline remains were only present in 1-2% of coyote scats.