DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – Residents in one South Florida neighborhood claim they're often awakened to the sound of coyotes in the middle of the night.
"It's kind of eerie to hear them all howling like that," Mike Fleinek said.
The coyotes have been popping up around a Deerfield Beach neighborhood a little more often than some would like.
Residents of the Crystal Lake Golf Club have stories about coyotes in the area.
Fleinek said his cats have vanished recently and that a groundskeeper recently found one mauled to death near his home.
"(The groundskeeper) said he saw her there all mangled up and that he knew it was the work of a coyote," Fleinek said.
Other residents had similar stories.
"You know, I have a 10-month-old and we have pets around the area, so everybody can feel safer," Al Lopes said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said encounters between people and coyotes are occurring more often in Florida. The opportunistic feeders have been spotted in all 67 counties.
There haven’t been any reports of humans being attacked, but some residents are taking precautions and warning their neighbors about several sightings.