Cyotes???

I live in Suburbia, in an area developed increasingly between the 1920s and the 1970s. It is bounded on one side by a freeway, on the second by a set of train tracks, and on the third and fourth by industrial buildings with huge open spaces. The actual developed area is about 1.25 miles by .25 miles and consists of (mostly) single family homes on .3 to .6 acres. Since I never go into the open spaces (they are marked "No Trespassing") and they don't connect to my walking routes, I forget that we live on the edge of some forests.

I was slightly surprised today when a woman yelled at me from her car, "I just saw a cyote!!! Be careful!"

I've been yelled at once for walking on the street (there are overgrown bushes which crowd the sidewalk), but never before warned of wildlife. Hmmm. I do remember that the correct defense against mountain lions is to look big (thanks to trail running in high school). I wonder if that is the correct thing to do in the case of cyotes.