Brianna is a female bobcat who arrived at the sanctuary in 2012. She was 5 years old at the time.
We’d received a call from a Minnesota owner of four bobcats looking to relinquish them. His 3-year old granddaughter had a very close call while near one of the cages and the owner was also scratched severely, requiring stitches. His family convinced him to reach out to The Wildcat Sanctuary in order to spare the bobcats’ lives.
The four bobcats had been purchased online from a Montana breeder. The owner’s intention was to breed them here in Minnesota and eventually kill them for their pelts.
Montana breeders have been selling kittens for decades, for as much as $1,750. They will ship the cats anywhere, apparently with no questions asked, as long as the buyer can pay.
Many of the cities and states where these wild cats end up have laws and ordinances that make it illegal to own them. But, for years, nothing has been done. It’s outrageous and heartbreaking that we have been called on to rescue so many, just like these four.
Sadly, in order for the owner to remain detached, none of the bobcats had been named. We agreed to take them in, since we were concerned about the safety of this family and the lives of these bobcats. All of our permanent enclosures were full, so we quickly built temporary enclosures for them.
Life at the Sanctuary
The bobcats lived in 4×8 wire suspended cages in the owner’s backyard. The pick-up went extremely well and the owner was very helpful. Once we 
safely captured and transported the bobcats back to the sanctuary, our vet performed intake exams, as well as spay and neuters on them. All were treated for intestinal parasites, too.
Having never felt grass under their paws, this would be the bobcats’ first opportunity. It was a joyous moment when they were released into their habitat here at the Sanctuary. They began acting like kittens, exploring their new areas, tossing their enrichment high into the air, batting it around and rolling in the grass and on the different scents.
We could hardly contain our tears as we watched them jumping from hammock to den, marking and hugging everything in sight. What a great day providing a home to these wild cats in need, giving them a second chance at life!
A family member of the owner has since shared this: “Thank you for taking them! I am very glad he chose to let them live. I told him that you provide the most amazing life for the cats.”
Brianna and Stelter have lived together here at the sanctuary for many years now. Being able to give them companionship for life, and the chance to live wild at heart is the greatest gift ever!
How You Can Help
Lifelong care for wild cats is very expensive. That’s why we started our sponsorship program, to help cover these costs. Would you consider being Brianna’s sponsor parent?
Or even a one-time donation toward her care goes a long way in helping. It’s easy using the buttons at the top of this page. Thank you for your compassionate support!
