Fortunate Feline: PAWS Rescues Bobcat Kitten

An orphaned bobcat kitten found starving in Redmond last month is getting a second chance at life thanks to Lynnwood-based PAWS rescue group. 

The female kitten was captured by a resident who spotted her peering into a Redmond chicken coop on Aug. 24 and transported her to PAWS, according to a blog post on the organization's Web site.

PAWS says the kitten was starving when she arrived but was injury-free and otherwise in good health. She weighed just 3.6 pounds, which is about half of what she would have weighed otherwise, the group said.

Now, the kitten is on her way to a full recovery and is expected to be released back into the wild sometime next spring.

Bobcats are native to Washington, found throughout the state and more common than most people think. They are not often seen due to their reclusive ways. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says bobcats appear to be using suburban settings more often in recent years .

Mark Coleman, communications manager for PAWS, said the agency's wildlife center is internationally recognized and takes in more than 3,000 animals every year, ranging from black bears to bald eagles.

More information on PAWS is available on its Web site.

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