Last week, an Oregon homeowner discovered a barely 17-pound, semi-conscious female bobcat laying in her front yard.
The juvenile bobcat, estimated to have been born earlier this spring or late last year, was struck by car crossing nearby Route 64.
The homeowner contacted a local wildlife trapper, who brought the injured animal to Oaken Acres Wildlife Center in Sycamore.
By the time the bobcat arrived at the center, she was fully conscious and noticeably agitated.
The center had concerns about removing the bobcat from the "catch and release" trap, due to the risk of further injury to the animal or members of the staff.
Oaken Acres Founder and Executive Director Kathy Stelford explained that Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) surveys place bobcats in every Illinois county.
That said, bobcats are solitary creatures that are rarely ever seen, especially in northern Illinois.
“I’ve been here since Oaken Acres started back on April 1, 1984,” said Stelford. “I can tell you this is only the second bobcat we’ve had in 43 years.”
Stelford explained that around 90% of the center’s patients come in due to human interference in their lives.
She says the expansion of urban areas increases displacement, and the likelihood of vehicle strikes.
Since Oaken Acres lacked the on-site sedatives needed to treat the bobcat, she was shipped to DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in Glen Ellyn.
Here she was anesthetized, examined, and given an X-ray. An ultrasound and blood work were also performed.
It was determined that she was mildly thin with a few fleas and ticks and likely sustained a mild internal hemorrhage.
She also had an old scapular fracture with past hip trauma that had both since healed. Her red blood cell count was normal.
The greatest concern was a badly fractured canine tooth that needed extraction to limit future pain and infection.
A complex dental procedure to remove the tooth was performed by the on-site dental unit.
With the bobcat recovering from her surgery, DuPage Wildlife Conversation Center says they intend to move her to an outdoor enclosure to alleviate any additional stress.
She is expected to make a full recovery and be returned to Ogle County once she’s fully healed.
