Spooked Cat Quickly Learns What Happens When You Stroll Through Alligator Territory

This kitty was probably not expecting an alligator on his nighttime stroll.

(YouTube/Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex via Liveleak)

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It's a good idea to steer pets clear of the Key Deer Refuge, as this video from the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex shows.

Alyssa Johnson, an intern at the refuge who owns the camera trap, explains that if the cat and gator look a little unusual, it's because the skirmish is shown in infrared light. "I love the cameras, because we get to see what the animals are doing when we're not around," Johnson tells Live Science. It's possible a neighborhood cat wandered into the wildlife park, she says.

Not only do indoor cats live up to a dozen years longer (by avoiding alligators, among other threats), but cats who roam outside can also put potential prey populations at risk.

The Humane Society, ASPCA and the American Veterinary Medical Association all encourage pet cats to be kept inside.

And when alligators are involved, take caution - as University of Florida ecologists note: "Its very important to keep children and pets away from the water's edge wherever alligators are likely to be present. Do not allow dogs to swim or explore waters that are known to have alligators because dogs look like prey to alligators."