Kirkland police use drone to capture bobcat inside residential home

A resident in the Moss Bay neighborhood of Kirkland, Washington, called 911 after hearing thumping and movement inside their home, fearing a burglary. Responding officers discovered the intruder was a bobcat perched at the top of a staircase.

Kirkland Police utilized an unmanned drone to monitor the animal’s movements within the residence, allowing officers to maintain a safe distance. The bobcat was eventually cornered in a room, where agents from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife successfully tranquilized it.

Authorities believe the animal entered the home through an open window, potentially attracted by the presence of the resident’s cat. Both the homeowner’s cat and the bobcat were reported unharmed. The bobcat was subsequently released into a nearby natural habitat near Forbes Creek.