In 2011, a local woman found a bobcat in a small, filthy crate in some family’s backyard. The family told this woman that they had found the bobcat as a baby two years before, and had kept him in the crate ever since. It was 2’x3′ with no shelter and Isaac had been sitting on top of at least four inches of dried feces, decaying food parts, and bones. There were some plastic containers in the crate that may have held water at some point, but were both dry and covered with dust and debris when he was found. The woman convinced them to surrender the bobcat and called one of our volunteers, who then called Vicky.
When Isaac arrived, he was understandably displeased. When we tried to care for him, he would stay in the back of the cage while hissing and growling. He did not seem trusting of humans, which led us to hope that he would be able to be rehabilitated. When a wildlife rehabilitator evaluated him, she determined that he would not do well in the wild. He disliked humans, but was not afraid of them and would charge a human. This behavior would put him at great risk in the wild.
So, we decided to give Isaac a good home in a spacious enclosure where he can be safe. Currently, he lives with four other bobcats who are all affectionately known as the Looney Boys. Isaac enjoys smelling and peeing in cardboard boxes, cuddling with his bobcat friends, and hanging out on the roof of his night house to observe his domain. He still is not super friendly towards humans, but he doesn’t mind our presence and has come to trust that he is safe.
Out of the 5 looney boys, Isaac is known, both by the human and his “boys”, as having an affinity for food. His favorite nights are bone nights, often displaying ninja-like behavior to cross his playground and collect the first bone. He is usually the first one at the gate during meals and collects treats as “toll” from the keepers/volunteers in order for them to enter the enclosure during cleaning. This writer sympathizes with his love for food as most of our staff and volunteers do as well!
