Waxahachie man and pregnant wife safe after Bobcat invades home

Waxahachie resident Jimmy Poarch believes a bobcat similar in appearance to this stock photo darted into his house Sunday evening.

WAXAHACHIE — A Waxahachie man is thankful he and his pregnant wife are safe after what he believes to be a bobcat darted into his house Sunday evening.

The frightening events unfolded on Anita Lane when Jimmy Poarch went to let his dogs outside.

"My inside dogs were barking vigorously at the window, which they normally do at rabbits. I let them out to chase the rabbits (which they never catch), but this time it was no rabbit," Poarch told Ellis County Citizen via a written statement.

Shortly after letting the dogs out, the dogs were headed back toward the door. Unbeknownst to the danger that lurked behind, Poarch opened the door and a bobcat flew through the door hot on the dogs' tails.

After the cat cornered itself in the breakfast area of his home, he opened his front and back doors hoping the feline would find its way out.

In the meantime, Poarch put the dogs and his nine-month pregnant wife in a bedroom for their safety.

Rather than exiting through one of the open doors, the cat lunged for a closed window.

"The cat went crazy tearing all the curtains down. The cat retreated back to the corner," Poarch said.

He then proceeded to open windows in hopes the terrified animal would make its way out.

Photo courtesy Jimmy Poarch.

Shannon and Jimmy Poarch had an unwelcome guest in their home Sunday afternoon. The couple spent 40 minutes trying to get a bobcat out of their house.

"The cat made eye contact with an open window and bolted through the window," Poarch said. "The process was about 40 minutes."

The homeowner believes the frightened feline was a bobcat, describing it as a darker colored striped cat.

Poarch stated that one of his neighbors stopped him three nights ago while he was walking his dogs to inform him that her dogs were eaten by a pack of coyotes.

Another resident on a nearby street stated on social media that one of her dogs was eaten by a mountain lion three years ago. According to the resident, the game warden came out and verified the paw prints belonged to a mountain lion.

Poarch believes the numerous new homes in the area are removing the animals' natural habitat and forcing them to seek food and shelter.

"There are many new homes in our neighborhood and I think this may be an additional reason for the animals searching for food and shelter," Poarch said.