WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – A disturbing discovery near a neighborhood has people wondering who would leave a bobcat for dead on the side of a busy road.
Residents passed by the big dead cat and looked on in fascination.
A Seminole County sheriff's deputy inspected the animal, which was found nestled between the sidewalk and a bike path near State Road 434 and Palm Drive in Winter Springs. The deputy said it's likely the cat was hit by a car.
"It's kind of scary, because I have a dog and a small child," said Jennifer Walker, who brought her son to inspect the animal.
"I've lived here 11 years now and never saw one," said Matt Kahle, who discovered the dead animal on his evening drive home. "(I was) just driving down the road and saw a big animal, looked like a cat, thought it was unusual. I just walked over to see what it was and whoa, it was a bobcat."
Kahle posted a picture on Facebook.
[WARNING: Graphic content: Image of bobcat]
"A lot of people were offended by me (posting) a picture of a dead animal, but my purpose was really just to document wildlife in the area," Kahle said.
Some commentators said they were disturbed, saying they wondered how it died and asking how long it had been there. Some guessed a few days.
"You'd think they would have it picked up by now" Walker said.
Florida bobcats are not protected animals.