Bobcats in Back Bay

I roll out of bed this morning. For some reason its extra hard to get up, but I do. I head out the door for my morning walk. I'm walking along my Back Bay portion of my walk - on this dirt path, thru dead schrubbery with a few green guys poppin thru. Its grown so tall you cant see the actual bay on this certain part, nor can you see Irvine Blvd. Its the one part of the walk you sort of feel like your in the wild for a moment. Well, this morning I certainly did.
There's a portion that goes downhill then back up again. I like this part of the walk cuz when I go uphill I "feel the burn" you could say. I usually jog/shuffle a bit on the downhill part due to the steepness. As I'm shuffling down I see movement ahead of me. Something is coming around the bend. Its grayish. I assume its a dog with its leash and owner attached and will be following it around the bend shortly. I look down again, then back up and realize this animal is alone. I stop. Its walking towards me. My heart drops. Its a fucking bobcat. He's just cruisin along on the path. He looks up at me, doesnst stop, doesnt speed up, doesnt change his brisk cool guy walk at all. I'm frozen in complete disbelief. I think to myself "When he realizes I'm a person, he'll run away". No. He keeps on walkin towards me. I now start to back up slowly. I'm starting to back back up the hill I just came down. He's still comin at me. Seems faster, but I truly now think that was my imagination, I'm pretty sure he just kept his normal pace the whole time. We met eyes. He didnt stop. I'm still backing up. My mind is whirling trying to remember what your supposed to do if you run into a bobcat. I dont think I know. I actually take a minute to try to see if its a Bobcat or Ocelot. (What kind of wild cat is this exactly). This is only about 1 second of thought, its replaced quickly with "I can out run it. By the time I start running and if he catches up with me I can be where people are and scream for help". I back up a few more steps. He keeps comin. Then I turn on my heel and haul ass. Shit. I forgot I have to run back up hill. I'm not a runner I'm a walker. But amazingly enough fear has made me a brilliant track star. As I book thru the path I look back, he's not in sight, but I dont stop in case he decides I'm a big mouse and might be fun to chase. As I'm running I think "I probably could actually take it if it attacked me, he wasnt huge". F that. I'd rather not find out. I almost run into a woman walking her cocker spaniel. She's on a cellphone. I wave my arms at her and stop - "I wouldnt keep walking this way, there's a bobcat back there!" She looks at me like I'm insane. "I swear, its bigger then your dog there". She tells the person she's on the phone with to hold on then looks at me. "Really?" she says. Ya, then figure bitch can decide for herself now, and I run on in case Mr. Bobcat is on my tail. (I did see her a few minutes later following me out, so she did take my advice...)
When I finally get to the street part and I jet across Irvine Blvd. I call my mother. Then I call Rose. Then I call Animal Control. "Are you sure it wasnt a coyote" they ask. "Of course not! I was close enough to say hello and see it was a fucking wild cat of some sort!".
Anywhoo, my walk was thrown off, my blood pressure was probably thru the roof, and my lungs felt like they were on fire. I love animals. I truly do. Bobcats are gorgeous. But not in my pathway.
When I got to work I looked up the Back Bay Reserve thingie, and they do have a little page about Bobcats and say you may spot them. Um....a warning sign somewhere might be nice!?

Oh, and PS - to add weird to weirder -
When I called my mom this morning, she proceeded to tell me she woke up this morning extremly worried for me for some reason, and proceeded to pray to God to watch over me on my walks. Weird. She said for some odd reason, she just woke up worrying about me walking by myself in the mornings. So - maybe God gave me a break and said "Lets scare the shit out of Jami this morning, but not actually hurt her. That'll make for a good laugh!"