provided to The Santiva Chronicle
A male juvenile bobcat was rescued by Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife staff after it was found with its head trapped inside a birdhouse in Fort Myers.
A Fort Myers homeowner found the cat in their front yard with one of their wood nesting bird boxes on its head. The homeowner contacted CROW and soon after, a team of veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators arrived to help.
First, veterinarians sedated the cat so it could be handled safely. The team was unable to pull the cat from the small opening and began to carefully dismantle the house from around it. When one of the sides was removed, it became apparent what the bobcat was after as an eastern gray squirrel was found inside. The squirrel was unharmed and quickly ran off when released from the box.
The team removed the cat from the birdhouse by cutting the wooden pieces from around its neck. Veterinarians checked the bobcat for injuries and provided fluids for dehydration from struggling to free itself.
The cat was found to be in otherwise good health with no injuries. An injection was given to reverse the sedation and the bobcat quickly recovered. It was transported to a nearby preserve and released.
About Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW)
Established in 1968, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is a teaching hospital saving the sick, injured and orphaned native and migratory wildlife of Southwest Florida and beyond. Through state-of-the-art veterinary care, public education programs and an engaging visitor center, CROW works to improve the health of the environment, humans and our animals through wildlife medicine. For more information, or to plan your visit, go to http://www.crowclinic.org. If you find an animal that is in need of help, call (239) 472-3644 ext. #222.
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