Deputies try laser pointer on bobcat in Colorado home: ‘Cats are all the same’

Deputies test cat logic on wild bobcat—with a laser pointer

When a bobcat wandered into a Colorado home and perched on a living room shelf, deputies tried to lure it down using a green laser pointer—just like a house cat. "Cats are all the same," one joked. The bobcat disagreed.

Deputies in Jefferson County, Colorado, tried an unconventional method to deal with a wild intruder—a bobcat that had taken up temporary residence in a family’s living room.

The animal had climbed onto a shelf near a television inside a home in Ken Caryl, part of the Denver metro area. When officers arrived on May 22, they decided to see if a tried-and-true feline favorite might work: the laser pointer.

Why did deputies use a laser pointer on a wild bobcat?

The backstory:

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared video footage on X (formerly Twitter) showing deputies pointing green laser sights from their Tasers around the living room in an attempt to lure the bobcat off the shelf.

Perched like he owns the place — a wild bobcat made itself at home on a living room shelf in Ken Caryl, Colorado, before calmly exiting through the back door. (Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's via Storyful)

"Well, I’m going to see if he chases the laser. I don’t know, cats like lasers," one deputy can be heard saying. Another voice replies, "It’s not a normal cat." The first deputy jokes back, "Cats are all the same. They all like the same thing."

What they're saying:

In a post on X, Jeffco Sheriff called the attempt an example of "thinking outside the box" and humorously concluded, "The bobcat’s verdict? Not interested."

The animal eventually left on its own through the back door. "Guess some intruders just aren’t dazzled by our high-tech tricks," the sheriff’s office wrote.

What’s the takeaway from this unusual encounter?

Why you should care:

Encounters between humans and wildlife are becoming more common in suburban areas like Ken Caryl, especially as development encroaches on natural habitats. 

While this story had a peaceful ending, wildlife officials generally recommend not interacting with wild animals and contacting authorities for safe removal.