Is Dublin coyote sending a rude message to barking dog?
DEAR JOAN: We live near open space and see our share of coyotes. Our next door neighbors have a dog who, unsurprisingly, barks every time she sees a coyote. The other day a coyote was casually traipsing by our houses. The dog barked. The coyote looked at the dog, then just as casually squatted, went to the bathroom and sauntered away. Ive seen this behavior a couple of times now so its not a one-off. Maria Vandegriff, Dublin  DEAR MARIA: Two answers seem obvious. One, coyotes are jerks. Or two, yes, of course it is marking its territory. As it turns out, its just not that simple. Animals, of course, arent jerks, although some of their behavior can be a little on the eye-rolling side. To find out whether the behavior might be a sign of dominance over territory, I read a 71-page study (youre welcome) that looked at the subject from every angle, and I do mean every angle. Researchers from the University of Colorado studied a pack of coyotes in Wyoming in the Yellowstone area. They tried to separate scent marking from normal elimination, and even noted when animals raised their legs or squatted, and whether the coyote was male, female or a juvenile. In the end, they didnt reach any definite conclusions, other than that coyotes do mark scent to define territory, alert intruders, announce a willingness to mate, let other members of pack know that theyre home, mark a food source or just because. As to the coyote in question, the fact that it squats instead of hiking a leg could indicate it just needed to go, or it might be a female. I think its likely that because it eliminates in the same location, it is doing it in response to the barking dog, reinforcing the territory marking. Or it could just be a jerk. It makes the water unappetizing for other cats in the household. Nancy Williams, Hayward  DEAR NANCY: You may have answered your own question. Seriously, though, cats can have difficulty discerning the surface of the water because its transparent and cats eyes, while impressive at seeing in the dark, have trouble with other things. They reach into the dish with their paw in order to locate the level of water, and by tapping the water, they create some ripples that are easier for them to see. If its causing an issue for the other cats, you could consider buying a water dispenser that creates the ripples for them, eliminating the need for tapping. East Bay park district to kill cats only as last resort to protect endangered species  East Bay parks district considers if its OK to shoot, kill free-roaming cats on park lands  Critter Corner: How to readjust your dog to pre-pandemic routine My recent column on providing water for wildlife during the drought caused some confusion because after telling people not to put out water for animals, in the next breath I said it was OK to put out water for the birds. Bird feeders and birdbaths are considered the exception to the rule. The birds, already in yards or neighborhoods, dont become dependent on us or associate the feeders with humans. It does mean, however, we must accept the responsibility for keeping the water source clean to prevent disease. For more wildlife, garden and backyard topics, sign up for our new, free Flora+Fauna newsletter. Use this form to submit questions. Photos should be mailed separately to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.