'Feisty' Bobcat Stuck In Car Grill For 50 Miles Recovering

RICHMOND, VA — An unsuspecting driver on her way to work in Richmond thought she might have struck something on a remote stretch of road in Gloucester County on Thanksgiving morning. Once she parked at her workplace — about 50 miles down the road — she checked her car, and was alarmed to find an injured and angry bobcat trapped in the car's grill.

The unnamed driver called Richmond Animal Care and Control for help, and two of its officers sedated and freed the feline so she could be treated. "(S)he was so beautiful and had perfect feet. DGIF said they've never seen anything like this before. It was crazy," one of the officers wrote on the agency's Facebook page.

Noting that the mishap took place on Thanksgiving, the officers said they were grateful for a sedative to disarm the hissing animal, so they could take it to the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro for treatment and release.

Upon arrival at the center, the bobcat was bright, alert, and growling at the veterinarian treating it, officials said, though the cat’s head movements indicated it had suffered head trauma and a possible vision loss. The bobcat was treated for slight difficulty breathing, and received stitches for a large laceration on its back that exposed ligaments and muscle. While no broken bones were detected, the bobcat suffered some bruising in the lungs, caretakers said on the center's website.

"The following morning, Dr. Alexa (Ortiz) was happy to find that the bobcat was extremely feisty," center staff wrote.

After more wound treatments, the bobcat was moved to the center’s outdoor bear pen enclosure for monitoring. While she has remained bright and alert, with no additional signs of vision loss or head trauma, the bobcat hadn’t eaten on her own by Sunday afternoon, which could be due to the stress of being in captivity, the center said in its Monday update.

There is no new word on her progress, but officials said that if all goes well, the bobcat should be ready for release in about a month.

Facebook followers of the Richmond Animal Care and Control officer praised the work of all the officers and specialists involved. Wrote reader Amy Martin: "Amazing! So glad he was ok and she was too! How crazy to drive that far and he still be in the grill! He's beautiful - thank you for helping him!"

You can donate to the center to help with care of the ailing bobcat and other wildlife.

Photos courtesy of Richmond Animal Care and Control and Wildlife Center of Virginia