Coyote spotted in Afton Oaks community kills neighbor’s cat

HOUSTON – If anything will wake you up in the morning it's a large coyote outside your window.

A coyote that notices your pets -- and is noticed by your pets. That's how J.J. Saltsman of Afton Oaks started her day shortly after 7 a.m. Monday.

"Standing here on this doormat was the coyote," Saltsman said. "I think he was stunned from having hit the glass."

On the other side of the glass was Saltsman’s cat named Bob, which caught the interest of the coyote. Saltsman’s husband Steven was able to capture video of the animal after it ran to the side of their house.

You see the animal takes a quick seat, perhaps trying to figure out exactly where he is. Once he notices the camera phone, he makes his exit. Another video shows the coyote running through the neighborhood with private security tracking his moves.

"The coyote was just running back and forth going up and down people's driveways," said Saltsman's husband, Steven Magsig.

Like many neighborhoods, families ride their bikes and walk their animals here in Afton Oaks. Coyotes are seen often throughout the Houston area but this is a fairly urban locale, just inside the loop. Spotting the animals inside city limits is not unheard of but to see them in neighborhoods near the 610/59 interchange is unusual.

"Never in a million years would've thought that in such a mature, urban area we would see a coyote," Saltsman said. "Let alone a coyote in my backyard."

Residents said private security that patrols the area told them a neighbor’s cat was recently killed by a coyote. It is not known if the coyote seen in Saltsman’s backyard was involved.


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