We thought the arrival and return to the wild of the first bobkitten ever admitted to Dane County Humane Society’s (DCHS’s) Wildlife Center was a once-in-a-lifetime success. As it turns out, her story is just the first chapter.

Bobcats are a rare presence in southern Wisconsin. DCHS’s Wildlife Center had only admitted a handful of adult bobcats before last year. Our licensed wildlife rehabilitators were astonished in July 2023 when our first-ever bobkitten arrived as an orphan. It was both heartwarming and bittersweet to say farewell when, after months of care, we released her back to her home range.

Our Wildlife Center staff remembered her fondly and thought they would long think back on the singular experience of caring for a bobkitten.

Imagine everyone’s astonishment when, earlier this year, two more bobkittens were found in desperate need of specialized care.

The orphaned bobkittens from Verona arrived at DCHS’s Wildlife Center a few days apart. Malnourished and dehydrated, they were each in critical condition. Our expert staff estimated they were just 12 to 16 weeks old.

Upon arrival, our licensed rehabilitators examined the bobkittens under sedation, which was necessary to keep our staff safe while handling these wild predators. They quickly provided supportive care to the bobkittens to prevent their critical conditions from worsening, and DCHS-sponsored wildlife veterinarians performed diagnostics. After determining their medical needs, staff treated the bobkittens for internal and external parasites, dehydration, and starvation.

Once they had stabilized the bobkittens and started them on the path to full recovery, DCHS’s Wildlife Center experts could start observing more about them. Interestingly, although the bobkittens had come in separately, our staff strongly suspected they were siblings, based on the location and circumstances of each bobkitten’s rescue, as well as behaviors they started showing during rehabilitation.

This discovery was ideal for the bobkittens and our wildlife rehabilitators. Socializing and living with other bobkittens is essential for the young wild animals; it drastically lowers their risk of developing tameness towards humans and enables them to learn how to communicate with one another and hunt together – all of which they need to survive out in the wild. With two of them, we had our own clutter of bobkittens, and the brothers could remain at our Wildlife Center together for the remainder of their rehabilitation, rather than endure the stress of transport to another facility many hours away.

As they grew healthy and strong, the bobkittens soon revealed their spicy personalities.

For two months, they lived in a secure, outdoor enclosure where they could climb branches, hide among natural vegetation, and practice their wild instincts. Their basic needs were met by interns and trained volunteers who helped prepare food, cleaned litter boxes, and refreshed water.

To limit human disturbance and prevent the bobkittens from becoming too used to us, we added visual barriers to their enclosure, which also prevented us from observing them! To allow our staff to monitor their natural development and evaluate their readiness for release, we have cameras installed in many of our enclosures. The cameras in the bobkittens’ enclosure captured their midnight prowls and daytime snuggles in their favorite corner, which revealed their growing strength and bond.

As a bonus, we have a lot of adorable footage to share with our supporters!

Last month, the bobkittens had outgrown their first enclosure, so our Wildlife Center team moved them to a larger space—a 62-foot flight pen retrofitted specifically for their care. Here, they can learn to hunt and thrive in a more expansive and natural setting.

We at the Wildlife Center feel so privileged to watch these brothers interact, play, and sharpen their wild instincts. The strong bond between them ensures they stay wild and wary of humans, so our experts are confident they can survive when released back into the Wisconsin wilderness.

Join us in celebrating their story of resilience and help us prepare for what comes next. If two bobkittens arrived this year, who knows what next summer could bring?

This #GivingTuesday, we invite you to continue being part of their journey of healing and growth. Wildlife rehabilitation is deeply rewarding, but resource-intensive, from specialized treatment by licensed experts to custom enclosures and daily enrichment. Every donation ensures orphaned, injured, and sick wildlife just like these bobkittens receive the care they deserve.

When you give before 11:59 pm on #GivingTuesday, December 3rd, you can DOUBLE your impact for Wisconsin’s wildlife thanks to our generous matching gift challengers!

Jackie Sandberg is the Wildlife Program Manager