gorgeous. also incredibly exciting.
i agree with your plan of action, though. best to discourage that beauty from getting comfy around humans and their pets. our luna cat disappeared about a year back, and we have bobcats around us, too. so wonderful to look at, though~thanks for the glimpse.
what a beautiful cat. Good luck!
As much as I like animals, I don't think I would want a bobcat that was too friendly. (Do you ever have young children visiting?)
great to find these 3 posts and fabulous photos when i checked in. i love the creativity you guys employed in resolving the nest box issue! so glad that it worked. 
He's certainly a beautiful cat and I would enjoy watching him too. However, I think you're doing the right thing to instill at least some sense of caution of humans. He's lucky to have found an idyllic spot to hang out in, but I doubt he'll be treated the same way if he visits another garden in your area. It seems best to teach him to be wary of human presence and to respect your own territories. Btw, all of the shots of your garden are wonderful. I'm not surprised the bobcat enjoys hanging out there.
As you now, I find these reports on your bobcats fascinating, and agree that Bonsai must remain an indoor cat for now.
Here is an interesting parallel situation. That link also mentions what I've read elsewhere - that normally a bobcat would range over quite a large area in the several to many square miles.
It brings up several questions - could this young male not have yet established such a territory, so that he is in a kind of limbo? Does he have a limited number of dens at the moment, so that his ranging currently takes him close by your place? Or maybe does he consider your place to be one of his dens?
The reason I ask the last question is his daytime appearance, which is apparently unusual, bobcats being crepuscular and retiring during the day into some kind of den. And the clear lack of a threat turns your place into a safe space where he has learned he's not going to be harrassed.
Do your neighbors also see him?
I'm not a trained wildlife biologist by any means but I would speculate of course! I'd predict that he will probably move on as he matures and finds new dens, expanding his territory. You will see him less frequently but will probably remain in his territory if he survives. But the current behavior seems unusual so it's hard to say.
At any rate, I'm confident in your and Roger's sensible approaches, and I'm perfectly fine with whatever you decide what to do. I certainly can't say whether he's any kind of threat, other than a definite yes to Bonsai.
What a beauty!
Sadly, close encounters between humans and large predators often turn out poorly. As we spread out across the landscape, there can only be more such encounters. Every time I read about your bobcat, I think of David Baron's "Beast in the Garden" about mountain lions in Boulder, CO.
Your cat is magnificent and exciting and I'm glad it has found thoughtful humans to live around so it might get a chance to learn how to survive in this dangerous world.
Amazing photos. I don't think that there is any danger to you or Roger from the bobcat, but the risk to your kitty is very real.
The cat looks healthy, so it must be doing well in this environment with or without the recent rabbit. Our wildlife management professional told us to throw rocks - not viciously, but to pelt them with small rocks whenever they come in the yard and they will soon be discouraged. I hesitated, but the alternative was for them to be killed, so the rocks rained down. I do hope he heads out to an environment where he can lead a full life. Great photos as ususal.
What a magnificent cat. I'm so glad I got to see it when we visited, and that you were able to get these great photos. But I think your decision to be a bit discouraging is a very sound one!
Great pics! (and your garden looks so lush - no wonder he likes to hang around)
Hubby has used the "mark your territory" gambit to good effect - the dogs next door are less agressive if he keeps his scent fresh, and he regularly gives the chipmunks that are tunneling under our foundation a good dose.
He is absolutely beautiful, but yes, he does not belong in your yard. He's a wild thing, and he seems to have forgotten that. Perhaps he was hand raised? Someone tried to adopt him as a pet?
Sounds like a plan to me! That little dude has huggable written all over him. I know, I know, but he is cute as hell.
absolutely fantastic! That picture of his face is worth framing, I think. Sorry you have to discourage him, but it is for the best. So lucky to have had the encounter, though. I sometimes wonder if my kids will ever get to see such magnificence in the wild...
I think your course of action is wise. Definitely your presence would not protect your cat from him. One of our neighbors had one of their small dogs grabbed by a coyote as they watched in shock from their porch. It's best wild things fear us and your ideas sound like they should help. It's enjoyable to see something like a bobcat that close and your photos are gorgeous, but he and you are all better off if he gets a little more afraid.
he is a beauty. great photos.
piss on, Rogie!
I have been thinking about this since I visited earlier. I have to say this. So typical of a man when he has a problem. First thing they say is, Ah, piss on it.
Roger 
Hey all-- Thanks for such smart comments. I think maybe we will have some small stones set aside to toss at this fella the next time he shows. I've been thinking for several months that this cat hangs out under one of our trees. Not often, not like everyday, but enough to make me think that it's part of "his" territory.
I would have never thought that this would be one of our "problems" but it's something we definitely have to solve.
there will be no pictures of the aversion therapy. 
this is a test of haloscan's ability to attach images......
http://thumbsnap.com/v/qOUCsDw9.jpg
roll yer cursor over that link!
R & R:
FABULOUS...I DO believe he's just now establishing territory..and your place looks great to him. Aversion YOUR way is SO FAR SUPERIOR...teach him to avoid humans so HE is safe. Someone down the road from you may well shoot him if they see him. As green as most of our neighbors are, just a mile away is a bunch of rich folk who would simply kill the cat. They moved up here, immediately cut down all the forest around them...illegally. ANYWAY: POINT NUMBER TWO: I probably should do this in your birdbox post, but you may not be looking at that now. CAN YOU write a post maybe about JUST WHERE you site your birdboxes. We have had 3-4 up for a few seasons and they've never been used.. So we're doing something wrong, and methinks YOU two are just the ones to give us AND your fans some help. THANKS for all your poetic writings.
Mark-- Here's a bit of what we know about nest boxes. Well, actually it's not very much. Roger found the nest box design online. He made four of them, hung three on the fence and one on the large piece of natural wood behind the pond. Only two boxes have been used in the past two years. Last year the nest box closest to the gate on the fence housed the Tree Swallows and their two chicks (which successfully fledged), and the pond nest box had three chickadee eggs that were abandoned. (Now that we've had the swallow and chickadee experience we suspect that something like that might have happened then). We did not deeply consider the placement of the boxes, so that might explain why two of them on the fence were never used. There is no direct approach. A mock cherry tree prevents a clear line to the nest opening. When Roger moved one of them to a place with a direct approach the errant swallow took up residence. So, our limited experiential knowledge says that, at least with swallows, they prefer easy, straight access. We rarely let the cat outside, so the birds don't have to contend with that.
Nice pictures. And there is something cheerily primal about the image--even without a photo--of Roger pissing along the fence to mark the territory.
So amazing that you can get the shots to illustrate this tale of tragic encounters. Overlapping territories.
Better to piss to drive off the poor critter than execute it.
Oh, this makes my heart hurt.
Can...Not...Resist...
Well, he ain't never caught a rabbit and he ain't no friend of yours...
Thank you very much.
The pebbles or pennies in a soda can that dog trainers use might be the tossable noisemaker you need.
I would echo the concern for your cat, Bonsai's survival with this bobcat around.
Here, an unafraid bobcat out in broad daylight would instantly trigger the "rabies" alarm in my mind. Perhaps that is not a problem out west.
how amazing to have captured these wonderful shots of this bobcat!! I have only come across one wild bobcat and it took off as quick as I saw it! Although I have found their tracks many times!
Jim-- Yes, Roger's been out marking the territory whenever the spirit moves him!
isabelita-- We'd never execute it! We'd figure out some way to have him moved someplace if he became an utter nuisance. We once called the Animal Control people to see if we could use a "have a heart" trap on a raccoon that was coming into our house in Santa Cruz. We're not even overly fond of raccoons. We love bobcats!
kathyr-- Very funny!
FC-- I had not even thought about rabies. Every bobcat I've ever seen, both here and in California, has been in daylight. I know they're supposed to be dawn and dusk hunters, but what I've seen I wouldn't define them that way at all. They seem completely opportunistic.
I love the idea of pebbles or pennies in a soda can. That is absolutely doable. Excellent.
mon@arch-- We are slightly overwhelmed with seeing this one. What started out at first as a rather charming thing has become a little bit unsettling. We have done nothing to encourage it, well except maybe let the borderline grasses grow very tall and shadowy, providing it wonderful places to hide.
Nice kitty.
This has been a wonderful end of the day visit, Robin Andrea. I've been reading and re-reading your posts on bird strikes and the nest boxes. I'm in awe of the problem solving involved in getting the chickadees back on their nest- how clever and kind of you and Roger and Julie. The sheet strips make me smile. At the zoo right now many of our large viewing windows and most of the windows in the bird house are soaped to prevent bird strikes-its a routine both spring and fall despite complaints from the public that their view is obstructed.
The view to your inner space- how beautiful is that lovely tiled entry way with all the plants and skylights? It's wonderful! And, as always, I wish WE had a bobcat coming to call. Thanks for the great photos.
Wonderful. I totally understand your dis-ease but wow. He (she?) is spectacular!
My wife's Dad used to leave coffee cans of urine around his garden to dissuade the deer from devouring it. Though your bobcat is gorgeous, he will be better off for what you have planned.
Thank you for your kind words yesterday!
alan
Wait, there's more!
It's a good thing you hung all that TP on the outside of the house!
Dude is so beautiful. I'm glad you're gonna discourage him, but sure do wish you didn't have to. Alas, a predator he'll be, regardless of beauty.
And, to your last post, I agree striping the gorgeous view is worth preventing the bird bangings. Good luck and enjoy your abundance!!!
Kathy R! HA!
I know you're making the right move discouraging the cat, but I sure appreciate these photos. Gorgeous!
it's a beautiful cat. wow. so tempting to want to keep seeing it, except for that wild predator might-eat-the-housecat doesn't-belong-here thing.
sounds like you have some great strategies lined up. i'm sure roger will continue to do his duty, no photos needed. i bet a little pelting with pebbles and maybe some of the pennies-in-cans noise will be enough to tell this hip cat to move it along.
kathy r. is on a roll! [so to speak...] i think she has one of these living in her house, only hers might also have a sound system and an aversion to doing laundry.
I was going to suggest a slingshot. Marking the territory is effective. We use it to keep deer out of our orchard.
I certainly understand your discomfort. In our neighborhood we have the occasional mountain lion and as much of a thrill as I get from knowing I'm sharing this land with a magnificent great cat, having our lambs carried off during the night is just not acceptable.
Those are beautiful pictures. What a pretty wild creature. I think it's a good idea to give him some fear of humans. You certainly don't want Bonsai getting attacked, either. Now, are you going to show pictures of Roger marking his territory?
What a nice neighborhood you live in!
I hope the bobcat doesn't read your blog. If he knows your plans, he may thwart them.
We have a fox in our suburban neighborhood. I see it occasionally, but I generally know when it's been around because my dog, Max, shows extra interest in the scents on the trees and shrubs around the house.
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