Bobcat or fat cat? Mystery surrounds security image of animal in Toronto condo garage

While the world wrestles with the mystery behind a series of unidentified flying objects, residents at a Corktown-area apartment complex are preoccupied with an unidentified creeping feline.

Management at the condo complex in the Front Street East and Bayview Avenue area alerted residents after the building concierge said they spotted an animal resembling a bobcat sauntering up the parking garage ramp early Wednesday morning.

The animal was also captured by the building’s security video.

“Last night the overnight concierge spotted a bobcat strolling up the ramp in P1 & P2, so please be careful especially if you have a small dog or a child with you,” management wrote.

But was the animal really a bobcat?

After seeing the photo, Director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, Nathalie Karvonen said while anything is possible, bobcats are not an urban species and a city-sighting would be quite rare.

“We’ve been open almost 30 years and have never known them (bobcats) to be in the city. Having said that, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that a bobcat could make its way into the city via one of the ravine systems as the occasional black bear has done.

“In that neighbourhood it’s most likely an escaped pet.”

“An escaped pet would need to be captured and placed,” she stressed. “A wild bobcat should absolutely not be in a parking garage. Either way, this is very odd.”

Founding Executive Director of Coyote Watch Canada, Lesley Sampson, said it’s too difficult to identify the animal from the photo alone.

“Without scale (size comparison) this is challenging,” Sampson noted. “Typically the ears and tail characteristics can lead to a more definitive identification. This could be someone’s oversized feline” he added, or an escaped pet.

“The illusion of security cameras can be misleading and add far too much sensational guesswork.”

His advice should someone run into the mystery animal?

“As with any unknown animal (domestic or wild), people should social distance and give plenty of calm, quiet space, leaving the animal be. Never feed or pursue to try to catch the animal or take photographs.”

“Securing this ‘cat’ — this is a task best kept to the experts that have the experience to safely secure and transport him/her if needed. Keeping the public away from this area may prove to be the biggest challenge.”

Toronto Animal Services tell CityNews it is aware of the “potential bobcat sighting” but is “unable to confirm the type of animal seen in the photo as the image and perspective is not clear.”

Animal Services says a team will be dispatched to investigate once more details are obtained.

‘This is not a bobcat’: ISEC

Despite a lack of consensus among some of the experts CityNews spoke to, the International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada has come out with a bold answer.

“This is not a bobcat,” said Pat Bumstead of the ISEC, which is based out of Alberta.

“It is likely a domestic cat/serval cross breed which I believe are legal in Ontario,” he said.

“The tail is too long for a bobcat,” he explained. “The head is too small and the animal is way too skinny. Bobcats are chunky little cats, their tail is about 3.5 inches long and their back legs are bigger.”

Even if it were a bobcat, Bumstead said there’s little to fear.

“Bobcats are not dangerous unless you are a squirrel or rat,” he said. “Bobcats are no threat to humans, and don’t really care whether they are around or not. They seem to be quite comfortable in cities and can ignore the pesky humans!”