Bobcats may be untamed, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a good time with boxes! And where does all this feline fun happen? Well, at the fantastic Rustic Acres Wildcat Rescue (RAWR), of course!
RAWR isn’t just any sanctuary—it’s a small, non-profit organization on a mission to save wildcats from facing euthanasia.
Karle, one of the caretakers at RAWR, explains, “Basically, if a wildcat is seized or surrendered for being owned illegally (unfortunately many are), we offer a place for the authorities to put them so they can live out their lives in peace and not be killed for no reason.”
Now, you might be wondering why wildcats end up needing a sanctuary in the first place. Karle breaks it down, saying, “The same goes with unreleasable wild cats. This might happen because a licensed wildlife rehabilitator tries to rehab a sick or injured bobcat for eventual release, but the bobcat fails.”
It turns out that without their mothers around, young bobcats struggle to learn the essential skills for surviving in the wild.
But RAWR doesn’t just stop at providing a haven for wildcats—it also extends its warmth to domestic cats deemed unadoptable for various reasons.
And guess what? They’re not open to the public. Karle emphasizes, “We strongly believe that wild animals are not pets, and animals shouldn’t be on display, so we respect them by not being open to the public, and being a no-contact sanctuary.”
The caretakers ensure that their bond with the animals is maintained on the other side of the fence, reinforcing the idea that these wild creatures don’t need to be petted. In residence, there are currently eight domestic kitties and four bobcats, each with its own unique story.
Take Meemie, for example. She was only three years old when she first arrived at the sanctuary, having been found in a barn a few days old, abandoned by her mother.
Raised by a wildlife rehabilitator, Meemie couldn’t develop a fear of humans and couldn’t hunt on her own, making her unfit for release. Karle proudly states, “We are honored to give this special, quirky bobcat a home.”
Then there’s Manka, rescued as a kitten from a garden. After living with another unreleasable bobcat, Preston, who sadly passed away, Manka was left alone at 7 years old. RAWR stepped in to offer her a better life with more attention and bobcat companionship. “We just love this girl,” says Karle.
Moxie and Dakota, the dynamic duo, arrived together, having been privately owned with no chance to experience the wild. Dakota enjoys his new home with trees, grass, and plenty of enrichment, while Moxie, as wild as they come, loves stalking, hunting, growling, and spitting. “We love that she can be her wild self here,” says Karle.
At RAWR, these feline residents, both wild and domestic, have found their own special place in this small but big-hearted rescue. It’s a reminder that every cat, regardless of its background, deserves a sanctuary to call home.
