SAN DIEGO — A bobcat was spotted near Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. A viewer sent CBS 8 video of an up-close encounter with the animal in his own backyard.
Danny Jackson was checking the milkweed he planted to attract butterflies in his garden when he saw the bobcat.
"He and I were making eye contact with each other and I had my phone in my pocket so I wanted to make sure I documented that because it was very interesting to me," he said.
They had a very rare up close encounter but no one was hurt. He thinks the cat lives in the nearby Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
"That bobcat was a youngster and he was probably getting his own hunting territory and with all the developments going on near the preserve those animals will come into the neighborhood," Jackson said.
Wildlife experts say bobcats are elusive animals and stay away from people. In this case the bobcat was likely looking for food. It's not common to encounter them but if you do here's what to know.
What to do if you encounter a bobcat
"You do wanna move away slowly from most predators just keep an eye on them but don't run we always say," said Angela Hernandez-Cusick, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Supervisor for the San Diego Humane Society.
Making noise will also scare them away. Bobcats are a threat to cats and small dogs and known to even kill these animals. They won't attack people unless provoked. Bobcats are bit larger than a housecat and have brown stripes. Meanwhile mountain lions are big cats and can be up to 170 pounds.
Jackson says says he loves having a home near the preserve and being around the animals who live there.
"I believe in protecting wildlife. I believe there's spots for development and spots you shouldn't be developing. Rather than us humans moving into their homeland, we need to be careful about doing it and protect those preserves as much as we can," he said.
Learn more from the San Diego Humane Society about wildlife, here.
WATCH RELATED: One wild yard in El Cajon | Coyotes and bobcats caught on video