Rescued bobcat kittens learning to land on their own feet

Two orphaned

bobcat

kittens were rescued last month after they were found alone at a rest stop near Tygh Valley in

Wasco County

The kittens were estimated to be about 4 weeks old when they arrived at

Think Wild

, central Oregon’s wildlife hospital and conservation center, on May 19.

It’s suspected that the kittens’ mother was killed by a vehicle.

When the kittens arrived, they were underweight, hypothermic and had external parasites. Over the past two weeks, they have received continuous care, including anti-parasitic treatments, vaccines, proper nutrition and fluids.

Without rehabilitation, orphaned kittens face extremely low survival chances in the wild, according to Think Wild. Bobcat kittens usually remain with their mothers to learn vital survival skills for the first 9–12 months of their lives.

Think Wild is using techniques designed to prevent habituation, including simulating how a mother would care for the kittens and disguising caregivers in camouflage gear.

To minimize the risk of habituation, Think Wild caretakers use camouflage gear to hide human their faces when handling orphaned bobcat kittens.

Courtesy of Think Wild

The kittens are showing improvement.

“They are gaining weight steadily,” Savanna Scheiner, lead wildlife technician at Think Wild, said in a news release. “Their coats are cleaner and healthier, and they are beginning to exhibit more natural bobcat behaviors like hiding, hissing and avoiding human presence.”