HOW TO KEEP COYOTES FROM EATING PET FOOD AND KEEP MY PETS SAFE?
Coyotes are omnivorous scavengers who are extremely adaptable and due to the loss of their natural habitat, often migrate to urban areas. Having a pack of coyotes as neighbors doesn’t sound too pleasant to anyone, but poses even more threat to those who have pet animals in their homes. In this article, we present a few tips on how to keep coyotes from eating your pets’ food and how to keep your pets safe.
MAKE FOOD SOURCES INACCESSIBLE
Like most wildlife, coyotes venture around your property in search of food and drink. Their intention is not to prey on your animals – they are usually tempted by leftover food in the garden, fallen fruit, compost or smell of meat and bones that may be coming out of your garbage cans. Cleaning up food sources is the first step you can take to keep coyotes out of your property and far away from your pets.
- Make sure trash cans are properly closed and consider tying them with bungee cords
- Keep your garbage in sealable plastic bags
- Clean your grill right after usage and make sure there are no leftovers on the ground
- Fix bird feeders so that birdseed is not dropped on the ground
- Fix sources of excess water
CONTROL WHEN YOUR PETS ARE OUT
Coyotes are most active during twilight, which means dusk and down hours. Avoid walking your dog or cat during early morning or twilight hours, as that is the time they may be attacked by hunting coyotes. It is very unlikely that they would approach you while walking your pet, as they tend to attack defenseless animals, but it is still something you may want to consider. If there is a high activity of coyotes in your area, make sure that your pets are never unsupervised in your yard or garden – especially for long periods of time. If you have an outdoor cat, you may want to talk to your vet on how to help it become an indoor pet.
FEED YOUR PETS INSIDE
As mentioned before – coyotes search your property for food and drink. If you know they are in your area, you should make your pet get used to eating and drinking inside the house. Leaving pets’ food outside is a big invitation for coyotes who may not only steal the food but also attack your pet if it’s left unattended.
ELIMINATE HIDING PLACES
Coyotes spend most of their day hiding and resting – it may come as a surprise but they are quite shy animals and don’t want to run into us. To prevent coyotes from hiding near your property, make sure there is no tall grass, bushes, big piles of branches, and lines of shrubbery near your home. This way you will make your yard less attractive to coyotes and keep them away from your home and pets.
We hope this article will help you with keeping your pets safe and making sure coyotes don’t steal their food!