Wildcat's owner seeks its return

By MILO IPPOLITO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/03/04

The lynx prowling Buckhead, a wildcat named Sasquatch, has an owner
eager to get him back.

The big cat, about the size of a golden retriever, has been roaming
the heavily forested Mount Paran area off I-75 for a week, apparently
in search of food and shelter. Tales of close encounters with the
animal have spread since last Friday, though no sightings have been
reported since Monday. Several people said they were startled when the
cat walked into their yards and right up to their families.

 
A few residents said the cat sits for long periods on the back decks
of homes, staring through windows at the people inside.

Wildlife officials with the state Department of Natural Resources are
trying to catch it. So is the man who raised it.

"I'm only interested in the recovery of this animal," said owner Fred
Boyajian. "This is not a joke to me." He said he will attempt to
retrieve Sasquatch with a humane trap, baited with chicken, as soon as
the next sighting is reported.

Boyajian has been licensed to breed exotic cats for 20 years and
currently has at least a dozen, said state wildlife biologist Scott
Frazier. Breeders can legally sell them to exhibitors, but not as pets
within Georgia, he explained. Breeders cannot obtain a state license
unless they are in compliance with all city and county codes, Frazier
said.

Nevertheless, some neighbors are upset that someone is breeding big
cats in Buckhead.

"No one is letting their kids play outside right now," said Leigh Ann
Livaditis. "I told my children why, and now they're nervous."

The cat has caused one frightened person to jump into a pool and
another to fend it off with a chair, according to e-mails circulating
among neighbors.

Previous escapes from Boyajian's home on Paces Valley Road have been
reported, but in at least two cases last year he captured the cats
himself within hours, according to DNR records.

Boyajian said he has raised cats for 35 years and that escapes are
rare. "He is normally penned, but tree damage enabled his escape,"
Boyajian said in an e-mail distributed to neighborhood residents.

Though the lynx appears tame, authorities caution against getting too
close. Sightings should be reported to the state DNR at 770-918-6400.