100 and what?

In case you haven't noticed, Summer has officially arrived here, in the Sonoran Desert.    My friends up North wonder how I can stand the heat.  "Easy", is my reply, " I don't have to shovel sunshine all winter".    I like it hot. I also like having the luxury of air conditioning, a swimming pool, and a refridgerator full of my favorite assorted, ice cold beverages.  I am truly blessed.  The problem is, our wild neighbors do not have such conveniences.  That is, until they find their way into our little oasis'.  When the temperature reaches 100 and stupid degrees and it hasn't rained since .....  yeah, I can't remember, either, our animal friends start looking for the closest, easiest source of relief.  Sometimes that occurs in our backyard.  Let's face it, they want the same things we do.  Food, water, shelter from the elements, and maybe a bit of privacy and security to raise our offspring.  The last couple of years, I have received numerous calls regarding Bobcats.  They have it pretty good, here in suburbia.  We irrigate our landscapes which feed insects, birds and rodents.  Our swimming pools provide cool clean water to drink and bathe in.  And have you seen all the Cottontail Rabbits grazing on the lawns?  These bunnies are fat and slow, compared to the bunnies without such luxurious greens.  That makes them easy prey and worth tolerating us humans.  Easy to raise a family in those conditions.  But what about my dog?  What about my kids?  What about me?  Aren't they dangerous?  Generally speaking, they are not likely to cause any problems, provided we leave them alone for awhile.  Bobcats often move their young to prevent predators from finding them.  One day under your shrubberies, the next, up on the roof.  Tomorrow, maybe the golf course.  Have you seen the bunnies there, next to the pond, on the fairway?  Hard to resist such a plethora of prey.  Much easier to grab a fat rabbit than your Fido, Fifi, or the kids.  And, they do not need our help.  Do not feed or water them!  That being said, there is something to be said for the appropriate level of caution.  Just as you would not want them to come between you and your loved ones, do not get between Momma bobcat and her little ones.  They will only tolerate you to a point, and it is difficult to predict what that point is.  Let's not find out, shall we?  Abnormal behavior for them is allowing you to get close or for them to approach you, unprovoked.  In that case, call a professional for assistance, a.s.a.p.                                                                           So stay cool and remember, the only thing predictable about any animal is their unpredictability.          And, by the way, that includes the human animal.

Mark - Naturally!