March 11, 2004

Murry Frymer's bio is impressive

Editor,

Congratulations on hiring Murry Frymer as a columnist. I know he'll do a great job for the Almaden Times Weekly. He's one of the few San Joseans listed in the Who's Who in America. His bio is impressive.

Erna Holyer

Reader delighted that Murry Frymer is joining ATW

Editor,

I was delighted to read in last week's Almaden Times Weekly that Murry Frymer will be joining your staff. I am sure I am not the only one who has missed his humor, humanity and excellent writing.

Phyllis Bail
Almaden Valley

Coyote’s on the prowl in Almaden Streets

Editor,

Last Friday night, March 5th, my significant other’s cat named “Sauce” was murdered by a Coyote. It [the cat’s remains with the major organs torn out] was discovered the next morning by a neighbor on his front lawn.
A Coyote was seen earlier in the week strolling the neighborhood. Sauce lived on Calle Bonita.
Please let your readers know of Sauce’s demise and of the presence of Coyotes in the neighborhoods.

Thomas G. Wilkus

Editors response: According to Mike Phillips, Santa Clara County vector control specialist, coyotes will remove organs and leave the rest of the body of an animal while mountain lions will eat the entire body of their prey.
He suggests that people don’t let their cats roam free. “The leash law even states that cats are to be confined to the property,” he says.

“A few years ago people in Almaden were calling in and they thought they had a cat mutilator. But, eventually we found a den of coyotes and in the middle of the den was a stack of cat collars,” said Phillips. “We have to be aware of our environment. There are going to be more problems with animal attacks as we encroach on their environment.

Phillips said that sometimes a coyote watches a home and waits for the cat to come out. The aggressiveness is especially bad in the spring time when babies are being born.

Phillips attributes some of the problem to people who leave food out for wild animals like squirrels, birds and raccoons in the Villas development. “The coyotes are just following their food chain,” he says. “And, I don’t recommend anyone taking a dog into the Guadalupe Oak Grove Park Preserve (next to Jeffrey Fontana Park). Coyotes have been known to be aggressive even if the owner is with the animals.”