An ocelot raiding chicken coops is a little known piece of Galveston history from the roaring 20s. The article from the Houston Post below appeared in papers all over Texas.
After having raided a number of poultry houses and creating a great deal of excitement in the residence section of the West End of the city this morning, a half grown ocelot, or leopard cat was shot and killed by police officers.
Ocelots formerly ranged into Louisiana, so I was excited to find one this far up along the coast. However, upon further investigation, I discovered that this cat was imported. After subscribing to to NewspaperArchive.com to gain access to additional newspapers, I found that the Texas papers that covered the original story didn’t print the follow up. The Galveston Tribune says that the ocelots were caught in the mountains of Mexico for a beach exhibition that summer. You can read the full story below.
This is a great example of how limited information from historical sources can sometimes point you in the wrong direction. It also shows how complicated the story of the ocelot is in Texas. The pet trade moved large numbers of ocelots into Texas cities, while they were being exterminated in their natural habitat.
The Houston Post – November 30, 1920, p. 13
Galveston Tribune – December 1,1920, p. 5
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