Coyote Seasons and Pet Safety: What the Sources Say

This is general information, not veterinary, medical or legal advice. For an injured or aggressive animal, a bite, a pet attack or a suspected rabies exposure, call your doctor, your vet, local animal control, or the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

Reviewed by the editorial desk against the cited sources. The desk holds no wildlife-biology, veterinary or medical credential; see our editorial policy.

Coyote activity changes through the year, but agencies do not publish an Arizona calendar of when pets are in most danger, and we will not make one up. This page lists the timing facts the sources do state, marks where they are silent, and links to our pet and child safety guide. For a year-round printable list and a month selector, use the pet safety by season guide.

What Do the Sources Say About Each Season?

Time of year	What a source says	Source
January to March	Coyotes mate	AZGFD
March to May	Four to seven pups born in a den	AZGFD
March to August	Pup-rearing season; dogs near a den more likely to be attacked (California, 2007)	UC IPM
Spring	Closing openings under buildings is even more critical, when many animals look for den sites	University of Arizona Extension
Summer	Pups leave the den at about three weeks and stay with the adults	UC IPM, UNL
Fall and early winter	Pups become independent	UNL

Winter Mating Season

AZGFD says coyotes mate from January to March. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln wildlife damage center says daytime activity is more likely during mating and breeding seasons, so a coyote in daylight is not necessarily sick. Keep pets leashed and supervised either way.

Spring Pup Season

AZGFD says pups are born in a den from March to May. University of Arizona Extension says closing openings under buildings is even more critical in spring, when many animals look for den sites. University of Florida IFAS says coyotes prey on cats and small dogs left unattended outdoors, especially in spring when raising pups. Do not let a dog near a den and keep your distance; see coyote breeding and pup season in Arizona.

Summer and Fall

Pups leave the den at about three weeks, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln center says they stay with the adults until fall or early winter. Seeing several coyotes together in summer may be a family. We found no source that gives a summer or fall pet-attack calendar, so we leave it blank rather than guess.

Time of Day

University of California IPM advises avoiding walking pets at dawn or dusk and using a leash, and says large dogs should come inside after dark while cats and small dogs stay indoors or in enclosed kennels. That is a 2007 California publication. We found no Arizona agency page stating the same.

Year-Round Pet Precautions

• Supervise pets outdoors. AZGFD says pets most at risk are off-leash or smaller than 25 pounds.
• Keep cats indoors or in a secure outdoor enclosure.
• Keep dogs leashed outside a fenced yard, and make sure they come when called.
• Feed pets indoors and remove leftover food; use the yard attractant audit.
• If you meet a coyote on a walk, follow what to do in each coyote situation.
• After any contact between a pet and a wild animal, call your vet and local animal control.

What We Could Not Source

We did not find an Arizona agency statement of the months with the most pet attacks, a dawn and dusk rule written for Arizona, or a summer, fall or winter pet-safety calendar. Ask AZGFD about local timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are coyotes most dangerous to pets?

No agency source we could open gives an Arizona calendar for the most dangerous months. AZGFD says pets most at risk are off-leash or smaller than 25 pounds, and University of California IPM says coyotes are more likely to attack dogs that come too near a den in pup-rearing season, March through August in California. Keep the same precautions all year and add care in spring.

When do coyotes have pups in Arizona?

AZGFD says coyotes mate from January to March and have four to seven pups in a den from March to May. University of California IPM says pups are born in March and April. Treat spring as pup season, keep your distance from dens and check azgfd.com for local timing.

Are coyotes more active at dawn and dusk?

University of California IPM advises avoiding walking pets at dawn or dusk and using a leash, and says large dogs should come inside after dark. That is a 2007 California publication, and we found no Arizona agency page stating the same. It is still a low-cost precaution for any pet owner.

Do coyotes come out in the daytime?

Yes. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln wildlife damage center says daytime activity is more likely during the mating and breeding seasons. A coyote seen by day is not necessarily sick. Keep your distance, leash pets, and call AZGFD if it shows little fear of people, stumbles or has discharge from the eyes or nose.

Should I keep my cat inside during pup season?

AZGFD advises keeping cats indoors or in a secure outdoor enclosure, and supervising small pets at all times outside. University of Florida IFAS says coyotes prey on cats and small dogs left unattended outdoors, especially in spring. Indoors is the safest choice in every season.