Bobcat Family Spotted In Arizona Woman's Backyard

— -- An Arizona woman enjoying a relaxing morning had quite a scare when she spotted a bobcat sitting on her fence.

“My dog was sunbathing in the backyard,” Annette Geraci told ABC News today. “She could have been a nice lunch.”

Geraci said her 10-pound Chihuahua Rat Terrier Mix, Sophie, started chasing after the bobcat after she noticed it Tuesday morning.

“I yelled, and she stopped,” Geraci said. “We got her in real quick.”

“At first I only saw the big bobcat on the fence,” Geraci said. “Then I noticed there are two babies sitting on the tree too.”

Curious about the bobcats, Geraci stood a little bit closer.

“The mom hissed at me, and then I back off,” she said.

Geraci later called the Arizona Fish and Game Department.

“They told me to shoot some water or throw some little stones at them,” Geraci said.

Before she did that, the bobcats roamed back into the wild.

“They were probably here for a good 25 minutes,” Geraci said. “Our house is pretty close to the mountain, and they probably came down searching for food.”

Darren Julian, an urban wildlife specialist at the Arizona Fish and Game Department, told ABC News, "Over time, these animals have figured out where people are and where the food source is: the rabbits, the quail and things like that."

"You can't let wildlife get too comfortable in your yard," Julian said. "When these animals are becoming bold and start not running away from people, that could be a cause for concern. That's when you should turn the hose on them, and make them feel unwelcome."