MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. — Two bobcats that were brought to the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Lynnwood as kittens were released back into the wild near Maple Valley on Wednesday.
The PAWS Wildlife Center operates an emergency hospital and specialized recovery facilities to rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, according to the organization's website. It is one of two facilities in the state permitted to rehabilitate black bears and marine mammals.
The bobcats were brought to PAWS last summer after they were believed to have been orphaned. Their mother was never located in the area the kittens were found in. The bobcats were cared for by the PAWS wildlife team until they reached the age where they can hunt independently and survive in the wild.
The bobcats were fitted with GPS tracking collars so their movements can be studied, PAWS said.
Bobcats are found on both sides of the Cascade Mountains. Kittens are typically born between April and July. Young bobcats set out on their own when they are about eight months old, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Bobcats are typically reclusive but are being found in urban settings more frequently.
The animals aren't usually responsible for killing domestic animals and tend to avoid humans as much as they can. However, the WDFW still recommends keeping dogs and cats inside from dusk to dawn, having secure outdoor pens and enclosures for poultry and preventing the buildup of feeder foods under bird feeders to avoid conflicts between bobcats and humans.