Orphaned baby Bobcats get surrogate Mama

Citrus Park, Florida – Three orphaned Bobcats are thriving this morning thanks to a surrogate mother who made room for the trio, even though she has babies of her own.

The animal rescue organization Suncoast Animal League in Palm Harbor paired up with Big Cat Rescue in Citrus Park to try and save the newborn Bobcats. 

Photo Gallery: Surrogate kitty nurses orphaned Bobcat cubs

Suncoast Executive Director Rick Chaboudy says the Bobcat cubs were brought to Florida from Alabama, where it's suspected a hunter killed their mother.

Big Cat Rescue contacted the Palm Harbor shelter and the organizations worked out a plan to introduce the cubs to a stray cat named Bobbi who had six kittens of her own and had nursed two other abandoned strays.

Chaboudy says after a brief introduction, "Bobbi" responded to the cries of the newborn Bobcats and allowed them to nurse.

Chaboudy says "It is important that the Bobcat kittens have as little human interaction as possible for their rehab and release to be successful.  By having Bobbi as a foster mom, she will provide the feline characteristics that we humans are unable to mimic, such as the cleaning and discipline.  The original two kittens, being a little older, will provide the Bobcat kittens with much needed play and socialization experiences. Although Bobbi's interaction with these newborn Bobcat kittens will last only a few weeks, her impact on them will last their lifetime."

Chaboudy says the goal of Big Cat Rescue is to release the Bobcats back into the wild.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=130863&catid=8

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL  33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
Carole.Baskin@BigCatRescue.org
http://www.BigCatRescue.org

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