When he was driving home around noon one day last October, James Black saw two coyotes devouring a big gray cat. Then he realized the cat belonged to his neighbor, Herbert Regnart. Black yelled at the coyotes and they dropped the cat. One left, but the other hung around.

"The cat was totally gutted," said Black, 66, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1980. "When I came back with Herb, the cat was gone."

Black's next-door neighbor's cat was also missing. "We guess it's the coyotes that got the cat," Black said.

According to the California Department of Fish and Game, coyotes are known to be responsible for a large number of cat disappearances in single-family-home residential neighborhoods around the state. And the chances of encountering a coyote will likely increase over the next several months.

"This is the time of year when we've seen coyotes become more territorial," said Mike McBride, assistant chief for the Department of Fish and Game's Eastern Sierra­Island Desert Region. "We've had calls from people out walking their dogs when coyotes have become aggressive."

Coyotes bear their litters during April and May, delivering between three and nine pups each. Adult coyotes caring for young need to forage more at that time of year than at others, which can lead to increased aggressiveness, warns Doug Updike, senior wildlife biologist of California Department of Fish and Game.

Nearly 80 percent of the 89 recorded coyote attacks on humans in California since the 1970s have occurred in the last decade, according to a paper submitted by wildlife researcher Robert Timm in March at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Spokane, Wash.

The report states that 63 percent of those attacks happened during the warm spring months, when females traditionally birth a litter of pups and males are sent to comb the region for food.

"While aggressive displays toward people are not considered normal coyote behavior, it is important to note that coyotes will become more comfortable around humans if we let them," Updike said.

"Problems occur when people feed coyotes, either deliberately or inadvertently. Coyotes will quickly lose their natural aversion to people and become bold and aggressive," Updike said.

The coyote (Canis latrans) is native to California. It closely resembles a small German shepherd dog with the exception of its long snout and bushy, black-tipped tail. The coyotes' high-pitched, yodel-like yapping is frequently heard at night. They are extremely adaptable and resourceful (like the cartoon character "wily coyote") and can survive on whatever food is available. They prey on rabbits, mice, birds and other small animals as well as young deer and sheep. In urban areas, coyotes often attack small pets and have been known to attack small children.

Larry Wyckoff, associate wildlife biologist of California Department of Fish and Game's Central Coast Region, said people can kill coyotes, but doing that can be tricky because coyotes fall under various rules and regulations.

"Coyotes are classified as non-game animals. If they do damage to animals or livestock, ranchers have the right to shoot them, but in urban areas, you cannot discharge a firearm," said Wyckoff, whose supervising area covers Cupertino. "It is also against department policy to trap and transport nuisance animals because of potential disease issues."

To avoid problems with coyotes, people should observe the following guidelines:

*For people who cannot sleep because of coyotes' howling, Wyckoff suggests earplugs.

*Never feed a coyote: Deliberately feeding coyotes puts pets and other residents in the neighborhood at risk. People can inadvertently feed coyotes by leaving pet food or garbage outside. Feed pets indoors or promptly remove outdoor dishes, bring birdfeeders in at night, store bags of pet food indoors and use trashcans with lids that clamp shut.

*Clear brush and dense weeds around dwellings: Reduce protective covers for coyotes and make the area less attractive to rodents. Coyotes, as well as other predators, are attracted to areas where rodents are concentrated, such as woodpiles and see storage areas.

*Protect children: Although rare, coyotes have been known to seriously injure young children. Never leave children unattended in areas known to be frequented by coyotes, even in familiar surroundings like a backyard.

*Protect pets and livestock: Keep small pets such as cats, rabbits and small dogs indoors, especially at night. They are easy preys.

*Use negative reinforcement: If coyotes are present, make sure they know they are not welcome. Make loud noises, throw rocks or spray them with a garden hose.

If a coyote is acting aggressively or attacking people, contact the Department of Fish and Game's Central Coast office at 707.944.5500 during business hours or its 24-hour dispatch center at 916.445.0045.