Rescue group releases bobcat kitten found on Orlando street

Bobcat named Spirit Feather brought to Polk County Preserve

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Nearly six months after a tiny bobcat kitten was rescued from the side of the road near Orlando, the animal is fully rehabilitated and back in the wild.

Good Samaritans found the 2-pound kitten in July and brought it to a local clinic. According to specialist, workers with Big Cat Rescue named the furry feline Spirit Feather and quickly treated her for hookworms and fleas.

Over the course of several months, they were able to teach the bobcat how to hunt on her own and decided she was ready for her new home.

“Spirit Feather has grown up to become a strong, feisty bobcat, equipped with the skills to return to the wild, where she belongs,” Jamie Veronica, president of Big Cat Rescue, wrote in a press release sent to News 6 Wednesday.

They decided to release Spirit Feather Sunday to The Tiger Creek Preserve in Polk County. The preserve is managed by the Nature Conservancy and spans across thousands of acres. 

Video and pictures taken Sunday showed Spirit Feather leaping out of its cage and quickly running into the bushes.  

Bobcats are no stranger to Florida. According to the Nature Conservancy, they prefer deep forests but can also adapt to other habitats, including suburban backyards.


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