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Bobcat kittens thrive at 91原创 rehab centre

The kittens are being rehabilitated to return to the wild
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One of two orphaned bobcat kittens taken in by 91原创鈥檚 Critter Care in August is being rehabilitated to survive in the wild. (Critter Care/Special to Aldergrove Star)

Two orphaned bobcat kittens have found a safe haven at 91原创鈥檚 Critter Care Wildlife Society鈥檚 shelter, where they are proving to be high-energy arrivals.

Wildlife supervisor Jess Cole said the first of the pair arrived in early August, after a call came in about an abandoned and orphaned bobcat from the Mission area.

鈥淪he was found near death on the side of the road with no trace of her mother,鈥 Cole said on the . The new arrival weighed just two pounds.

A day later, a second female orphaned bobcat had also turned up in Mission, arriving on Aug. 7.

The new arrival was found about 25 minutes away from the first cat, making it unlikely they are siblings.

鈥淭his kitten weighed four pounds and was found in a barn, mingling with feral barn kittens in her search for food, perhaps even believing she was one of them,鈥 Cole said.

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The two bobcats are being kept together, and the older is acting as a protective big sister for the younger.

The two kittens were kept apart for 10 days, allowed only to interact through their kennels. Once they were settled and healthy, they were moved together into a space dubbed the 鈥淛uvenile Delinquent Room,鈥 Cole said.

They have toys and enrichment activities to keep them busy and mentally stimulated, and are also spending a lot of time cuddling, grooming, and playing together. The older of the two is often protective of the younger when Critter Care staff are around.

Both kittens have more than doubled in size and weight since they arrived.

They鈥檙e getting a diet of game meat, poultry, and rabbit, and the staff and volunteers have been scattering their foot to encourage natural foraging behaviours, said Cole.

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One of two orphaned bobcat kittens taken in by 91原创鈥檚 Critter Care in August, being rehabilitated to survive in the wild.

鈥淭hese two bobcats will stay with us until next spring, at which point they鈥檒l be released back into the wild together,鈥 Cole said.

Critter Care takes in orphaned and injured wild animals, from deer to black bears to raccoons and skunks.

The goal with most animals is to rehabilitate them and release them back into the wild, but some animals that are too badly injured stay at the society permanently. That includes another bobcat, named Tucker, who has been with the society for years.

Critter Care is largely supported by donors and volunteers. Learn more at .

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Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in 91原创, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
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