Dead Bobcat
"Never heard of it! I've lived here all my life and I'm not telling you how old I am!" said Eleanor Devellis, a New Scotland resident.

Longtime residents on Rock Hill road have never heard anything like it. Albany County Sheriff says a couple was visiting this home to pick up tables for a garage sale - when they were attacked.

"Wife was sitting outside on a few rocks playing with the family dog, heard a hissing noise and turned around and there was a bobcat," said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple.

Apple says the animal bit the woman a few times and then the dog attacked the bobcat. Her husband then tried to get the animal way and was also bitten.

"The homeowner and the husband pinned the bobcat down while the homeowner gets a gun and shoots the bobcat," he explained.

The animal was killed and taken away by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Authorities say while bobcats aren't uncommon in the area, attacks like this are rare.

"They're reclusive animals, they tend to stay away from people and suburban areas even more so."

Neighbors say they plan on being more alert since the attack, especially with small children and pets.

"If they let them outside I'm sure they're going to watch them closely," said DeVellis.

"My son has three dogs that run around and my middle son has a goat and some chickens too," added another neighbor, Lois Wood.

Some have even had encounters of their own.

"On one of my walks I happened to notice a baby cub a couple of years ago, a mother and her little baby," Debora Miller said.

Miller says she just kept walking and avoided the animals as best she could. Officials say that's the best way to handle them, explaining that typically they're more scared of us than we are of them. But, in the off chance of an attack, authorities say fight back.

"Try to get it off of you, protect yourself of course, and then try to call authorities as fast as you can."