At first, Nicole LeslieB次元官网网址檚 husband thought it was a stray cat checking things out in their east Maple Ridge backyard.

Only when it hopped up on the back fence of their Albion home Sunday did he realize it was a bit bigger than a house cat.

Nicole didnB次元官网网址檛 waste any time and grabbed her camera and got a picture of it standing on the top of the fence.

Her husband got some cellphone video, too, of some heart-warming seconds of the mother cat carefully walking on top of the fence, followed by a kitten just moments later.

B次元官网网址淚 grabbed my camera and ran to the front porch and caught it just in time there. She paused and was quite curious about me and the camera. She calmly turned around and hopped down after that.B次元官网网址�

Her neighbours have a critter cam and have said bobcats are regular visitors. But until Sunday, Nicole had never seen them.

Nicole, who lives on Kimola Drive, has seen many wildlife visitors this year, including a crane, beaver, bear, raccoons and a salamander.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had a crane, right in the yard, in the grass. ItB次元官网网址檚 because of a pond behind us. We get all kinds of stuff. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty neat to see out there.B次元官网网址�

She said there seems to be lots of small animals in the area as a food source.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e very well fed. They look super healthy. You donB次元官网网址檛 think theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be in such a residential area, but there sure seems to be a lot out there.B次元官网网址�

She initially put the photos on to the Albion Neighbours Facebook group, drawing comments of B次元官网网址淏eautiful. Amazing picture,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淪o cool.B次元官网网址�

Conservation officer Todd Hunter said thereB次元官网网址檚 a healthy population of bobcats in Metro Vancouver. The bobcats will hunt rabbits, which hide in blackberry bushes, as well as squirrels, rats and mice.

B次元官网网址淚n Metro Vancouver, weB次元官网网址檝e received, in the last two years, more call volumes come in with sightings of bobcats around homes.B次元官网网址�

Hunter cautioned people not to feed wildlife of any kind.

He asked people to be careful to not leave any type of food outdoors that can attract rats or mice or racoons, which in turn can attract predators, such as bobcats, cougars or bears.

People have to do everything they can to remove any kind of food outside their homes and make sure they donB次元官网网址檛 leave their small dogs or cats outside.

B次元官网网址淭he cougars, theyB次元官网网址檙e preying on the raccoons more.B次元官网网址�

Two reports have come in during October and November of cougars killing racoons from North Vancouver to Maple Ridge.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檝e got animals coming to your property because of food B次元官网网址� you can bring in other animals.B次元官网网址�

Bears can also hunt deer.

B次元官网网址淭hose bears have been noted to prey on deer, right in peopleB次元官网网址檚 yards.B次元官网网址�

There have been several reports of that happening in North Vancouver and in the Belcarra and Anmore areas of Port Moody.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e [bears] omnivoires, theyB次元官网网址檒l eat anything. TheyB次元官网网址檙e known to take down game and feed off them, and they will. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why theyB次元官网网址檙e dangerous. TheyB次元官网网址檙e fast. They may be fat, but theyB次元官网网址檙e fast.B次元官网网址�

Hunter said people should respect wildlife and donB次元官网网址檛 get too close.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what keeps them wild. Enjoy them at a distance and give them their space.B次元官网网址�

Last month, a reader sent in a photo of a calmly watching hikers pass by on a trail in UBC Research Forest.