Cats on a bank-owned roof: Bobcats claim foreclosed house

The foreclosure market is getting wild in Lake Elsinore: "Taking advantage of a slump in local real estate, a family of bobcats has moved into a foreclosed Lake Elsinore home, lolling about on fences and walls and riveting an entire neighborhood."

More, from the L.A. Times' David Kelly:

Neighbors first noticed the feline squatters Aug. 27 hanging out on a side wall of the empty house in the Tuscany Hills development.... The foreclosed home is one of several on the block. Its lawn is brown but still being watered by the sprinklers. The house sits right up against barren, chaparral-covered hills.

At least two adult bobcats and perhaps a litter of young ones appear to be occupying the house. Residents have mixed emotions about their new neighbors.

Personally, I like this cat foreclosure story better than the story of Princess Chunk, the 44-pound New Jersey cat who was briefly homeless -- but apparently never hungry -- because of foreclosure.

On a more serious note, Lake Elsinore is teeming with foreclosed houses -- MDA DataQuick counted 425 foreclosures in Lake Elsinore in the second quarter of 2008.

That said, many of you are seeing the humor in this item. Here are some of the better comments you've added to this post:

SMRR wrote, "It's like that History Channel special, Life After People. Riverside's going to become the #1 wild animal park in the united states."

Gary in Marysville Michigan wrote, "Someone should notify the DEA.  They could be guarding a major catnip growing operation."

Click below to see more reader comments.

 

Kosher Krab wrote, "Those bobcats are probably thinking of ways to sue the builder for that faulty stucco."

Bottomfisher wrote, "They could have easily qualified for a loan last year....now they just squat."

sfvrealestate wrote, "I think these animals just got tired of trying to time the bottom of the market and decided to make the move."

notta wrote, "They'll be skinned by the lender just like all the rest of us...just wait !!"

-- Peter Viles

Your thoughts? Comments? E-mail story tips to Peter Viles.

Photo: Karen Brown via Los Angeles Times

Comments

[anonymous]

I can hear the realtor now, "Tony the Tiger says this is a GRRRREAT place to raise a family!"

[Uncle Billy Goes Public]

Sounds like the plot for "I Am Legend," or the PBS dramatization of what the cities will look like after Homo Acquisitorus goes away.

[Brad]

Bet I can foretell the future: Yet another new tax/fee on REO property -- "Animal Squater Abatement Assessment"

Word.

[E]

Cool Pic, but I'd be a little freaked out as a neighbor also.

Honey...have you seen the kids?

[tarbubble]

the heck with Ed McMahon! bobcats are the new foreclosure thang.

[SMRR]

It's like that History Channel special, Life After People.

Riverside's going to become the #1 wild animal park in the united states.

http://www.screenhead.com/reviews/
life-after-people-world-premiere-on-the-history-channel/

[kosher krab]

Those bobcats are probably thinking of ways to sue the builder for that faulty stucco.

[BottomFisher]

They could have easily qualified for a loan last year....now they just squat.

[Lisa]

I remember parts of Lake Elsinore being so wild -- and beautiful -- years ago. What the heck are we doing building all these homes up against the chaparral and foothills anyways?

[Laker]

I wonder if the bobcats can claim they have a lease agreement so that that can stay at their current home....

maybe there's a way they can get FHA loan or something similar to government bailout so they can keep living there and keeping the copper robbers from gutting the place up.
I can see how those would be scared from these little tigers and therefore this house will stay intact. If i was the bank i would keep them there as free guards. Albeit some litter /sh** will be collected but at least the copper plumbing and the granite counters will stay there....

[keith]

No way to work a "dead cat bounce" joke into this?

[dilbert dogbert]

Start getting worried about the neighborhood when the mountain lions take up squatting in the houses. Too bad the Grizzly Bears are gone as they would really spice up the neighborhood.

[xtine]

You can serve them their eviction notice inside a lame caribou.

[sfvrealestate]

As I've said here before, the impending birth of little ones seems to wipe out any objections that would-be home buyers might have to taking the plunge. Plus, I think these animals just got tired of trying to time the bottom of the market and decided to make the move.

[mike]

well that considerably lowers the chances of vermin squatting there.

[Jonathan]

Princess Chunk was awesome. She was still hungry. She had cushing's disease, not fat :(

[The Original RZ]

Too bad I can't say "The housing market has gone to the cats" instead of "gone to the dogs."

[notta]

they'll be skinned by the lender just like all the rest of us...just wait !!!

[Brian]

The same thing happened a few years ago in our neighborhood, which is adjacent to Indian reservation and beyond that, national forest. A very nice and large home sat vacant for several years, and over time people living nearby noticed that at least one bobcat had taken up residence on the grounds, and we assumed that it lived inside because there were openings for windows. This was in north San Diego county of California.

[resident]

I for one, welcome our neighborhood bobcat overlords!

[Freemon Sandlewould]

I think it would be good if we could get all of Californicators to dissappear and let the wildlife take over again. After Californicators are sinning against mother nature. I have been slowly but surely sawing at the border of Californicor and when my project is done it will slip out to sea taking all you felons to the secret Pacific ocean prison tha thas been prepared for you.

[Spike]

So the landscaper left a few BobCats behind, what's the big deal? OH! those BobCats....

[Gary, Marysville Michigan]

Someone should notify the DEA. They could be guarding a major catnip growing operation.

[angie]

i like how california is having a water crisis and the automatic sprinkles are still watering the brown lawn. human dysfunction at its finest.

[Joe]

All the environmental nazi's are probably happy about it. They would rather see some wild animals be comfortable than see humans be comfortable.