Inside the Release: How Two Rescued Bobcats Made It Back Home

Teetonka and Kaya Are Finally Free

Remember those two bobcats we took in last August? Teetonka and Kaya? Well, after nine months of care, we finally released them back into the wild.

They were doing great—healthy, alert, and acting just like wild bobcats should. They knew how to stalk, hunt, and keep their distance from people, which is precisely what we want to see before a release.

On the day of, we took them out to this quiet, forested spot covered in moss and ferns. We set the kennels down and gave them a bit of space. Kaya was the first to step out.

She waited a minute or two, checking everything out, then took off into the trees. Before disappearing, she actually paused and looked back, like she was waiting for Teetonka.

Teetonka wasn’t so sure at first. She hung back a bit longer, just taking it all in. But eventually, she made her move and bolted into the forest, too.

As we were packing up to leave, we heard a branch snap. We looked around and saw Teetonka up in a tree by the creek, just watching everything quietly.

It was such a wonderful moment. They’re both where they’re supposed to be now, and we’re really proud of how far they’ve come. 

Thanks for supporting Critter Care and helping make it possible for these two to get back where they belong.