Jill Hicks was driving down a dark road when she noticed a small creature in the middle of the busy street. As she got closer, she realized that it was a tiny kitten in need of help.
She immediately pulled to the side of the road, and left her car door open in an attempt to slow traffic. The kitten was stunned with fear, so she was able to scoop her up and bring her to safety.
She originally thought this could be an abandoned kitten, so she began to search and call out for any other cats just in case. After searching the area, there was no mom or babies to be found. Hicks decided at that point to take her new furry friend home for the night.
“I put her in the car with me, and she climbed all over me, climbed around the back of my neck, climbed in the passenger seat. I had to pull over a couple of times to get her situated, and I finally got her on my lap, wrapped up in the sweater and got her calm. And I was loving on her and petting her.” – Hicks
Hicks has a large dog, so she knew bringing the kitten into her home may be unsafe. Instead, she made the kitten a bed in her garage in a cardboard box, with a tiny litter box and one of her jackets to cuddle with. The fluffy kitten quickly snuggled in and began to rest.
Hicks posted a picture of the kitten on her Facebook, explaining the adventures of her night. Before she knew it, she had a frantic knock at her door. It was her neighbor, and she had some surprising news to tell.
Hicks’s neighbor explained how this tiny rescue kitten was not a domestic cat, but a wild bobcat. The distinct features of her pointed ears and cropped tail gave it away. Hicks couldn’t believe that she had shared her car with a wild cat!
It was already late in the evening at this point, so Hicks kept the baby bobcat in her makeshift bed in the garage throughout the night. Hicks even slept in the garage with her, in fear of her feeling frightened if she was all alone. Just because she was a wild cat did not mean she didn’t deserve comforting.
The next morning, Hicks contacted a local wildlife rehabilitator at For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue. Once she was in the hands of a wildlife expert, they learned a bit more about her new fuzzy friend.
The tiny bobcat, now named Arwen, was about 7 weeks old. She was also severely anemic, and needed intensive care to help her regain her strength. It’s a good thing Hicks found her that night, or she may not be alive today.
In the days following her rescue, Arwen became more aggressive. This is an incredible sign that she’s feeling better, but this did cause her to gain a new nickname: Little Miss Murder Mittens.
“She’s fearless and bold and has no interest in humans, which is exactly what we hope to see.” – For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue
The Rescue will continue to care for Arwen, and hopes to release her back into the wild this coming Spring. Little Miss Murder Mittens has a bright future ahead!
H/T: thedodo.com
Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/jill.m.hicks.1/photos