Feisty Pico Rivera cat fights off coyote, escapes by climbing tree

A 10-year-old cat named Mama stood her ground against a coyote in a Pico Rivera neighborhood before scrambling up a tree to safety, a daytime confrontation a neighbor caught on video and shared with the stunned family who owns her.

The incident, reported by ABC7 Los Angeles, comes a year after the same family lost another cat to a coyote in the neighborhood — a pattern of encounters that mirrors widening wildlife-conflict concerns across Southern California, including communities throughout Orange County.

A neighbor recorded the confrontation on video and later shared the footage with Mama's owners, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The clip showed the cat refusing to retreat before darting up a nearby tree and staying beyond the coyote's reach.

Owner Debbie Beltran said she recognized Mama the moment she saw the video. "I said, 'Oh my God, that's Mama!' Her personality ... everything clicked," Beltran said. "She's always been feisty, this type of cat, and has got into fights before so it doesn't surprise me."

The encounter carries particular weight for the Beltran family, who lost another cat to a coyote in the same neighborhood within the past year, according to ABC7. The family has owned 10-year-old Mama for about five years.

Beltran said she views bold daytime coyote sightings as a frightening new trend in the Pico Rivera area, ABC7 reported.

After the close call, the family gave Mama extra attention.

After the video circulated, the family said they gave Mama extra attention. For a household that lost another cat to a coyote the year before, the outcome was a relief, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.