Tweeters,

I apologize for the diversion from birds, but will justify it as an
excursion into urban wildlife that influence the breeding success of the
feathered objects of our affection...

Mike Smith asked if possibly a coyote was responsible for my cat's death,
rather than a raccoon.

Probably not. Observations which led me to conclude raccoon are:
1) It occurred in my backyard, where I've seen the 'coons on a regular basis.
2) There was clearly quite a struggle (poor cat thought he was tough...),
which I *assume* would not likely be something a predator would find
worthwhile.
3) The killing bite straddled the bridge of the nose, just below the eyes;
it was deep, but the breadth of the bite seemed rather small.
4) I found the body (I assume a coyote would've eaten it); which did have
signs of the beginning of being devoured at the rump (skin pulled back
and some missing flesh).
5) Hey, is this like forensic science?
6) Possibly a fox?
7) It occurred after dark, most likely between 8pm and 9:30pm.
8) There were *not* gashes on the body, lots of fur tufts about but not
much blood.

Thanks for the sympathies! It sure is easier to watch something you don't
know get eaten... I hope the description isn't too gruesome. But I would
like to know what happened to my little buddy.

--
Michael Patrick
University of Washington Medical Center
Department of Radiation Oncology, RC-08
1959 NE Pacific St.
Seattle, WA. 98195
mike at radonc.washington.edu
(206) 548-4536