Baby bobcats rescued in Virginia

ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — And then there were three.

Bobcats are some of the most elusive animals in Virginia. They are rarely seen in the wild. Having one is rehab at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke is unusual. Having three defies the odds.

However, that is the case at the center in Roanoke County. Three tiny bobkittens have arrived at the center in recent weeks, found orphaned and in need of medical attention in different locations around the New River Valley and the Blue Ridge.

“We have three bobcats, all from very different situations, right now” said Katherine McGrath of the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke. “We have two males and one female.”

The first male was brought in during the month of May. It had been orphaned after its mother was hit by a car near Floyd.

The next bobkitten to arrive at the center was a female. She was found last month in a rock pile near Fries, and at first the folks who found her thought she was just a regular kitten. There was no sign of her mother, and it is unsure what happened to the mother bobcat.

The third baby bobcat, a male, arrived at the center this month. Its mother had also been struck by a vehicle.

All three are thriving. Having three is also actually better than just having one.

“Having playmates is the best for them in learning how to be a bobcat,” said McGrath. “They can learn how to play, how to make those hierarchies and dominances between them as they grow up and all of that fun stuff that we can’t teach them as people.”

One thing that the people at the wildlife center can teach them, though, is how to hunt. That is a skill that will be vital to when they are eventually returned back to the wild. Right now, they are eating cut pieces of rabbit and chicken, but that will soon change.

“We’re going to try to introduce them to some live prey items, like live small mice to make sure they have that hunting instinct.” said McGrath.

Eventually, as they grow, the live prey will become larger. At some point, live quail and rabbits will be introduced to approximate the type of prey they will hunt and eat in the wild.

Live quail and rabbits are expensive. It could cost more than $200.00 a day to keep the bobcats fed while they are being reared and rehabbed. The total cost could add up to roughly $25,000.00. That is why the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke is encouraging people donate to help raise the bobkittens.

It will take about a year, but the goal is to release the bobcats back into the wild sometime next spring.

If you happen to come across a baby bobcat that is alone in the wild, it can be cause for concern.

“With baby bobcats, they’re usually following their mom about, all of the time,” McGrath said. “They’re usually not left alone like other species.”

If you see a bobkitten by itself, keep an eye on it for about an hour. If mom does not return, that is the time to call the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources or an animal rehabber like the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke.