Rarely seen solo bobcat kitten rescued by hiker near Sausalito

Juvenile bobcats seldom leave their dens or mothers, which makes a hiker's discovery of a kitten, alone on a trail near Sausalito, all the more startling.

"Very young bobcats are hardly ever seen by humans," wrote Alison Hermance, director of communications at urban wildlife hospital WildCare, in a blog post chronicling the rare encounter.

The hiker was walking his dog when he noticed something trailing him, Hermance explained. It moved with slow caution, wobbly on its four paws and obviously needing help. After realizing it was a kitten, he swaddled it in sweatshirt and carried it to the ranger station for examination.

The rangers knew it would be impossible to reunite the juvenile with its mother, having no sense where the den was tucked away – and having been found so near to a busy trail. They decided the best plan of action was to deliver the kitten to WildCare.

Once the kitten arrived at WildCare it had an examination – a tricky task when the patient is equipped with sharp teeth and claws, suited best for hunting, not hospitals.

Staff found the four-week-old "clinically healthy, but dehydrated, and with the usual allotment of ticks and fleas," Hermance wrote. As reward for its cooperation, the kitten then feasted on a hearty meal of minced mice.

This bobcat kitten was found alone on a busy Marin County hiking trail. It was brought to San Rafael WildCare to recover and will be released in the fall. This bobcat kitten was found alone on a busy Marin County hiking trail. It was brought to San Rafael WildCare to recover and will be released in the fall. Photo: WildCare Photo: WildCare Image 1 of / 48 Caption Close Rarely seen solo bobcat kitten rescued by hiker near Sausalito 1 / 48 Back to Gallery

Although the kitten might look like a cuddly pet, as Hermance notes, it is still a ferocious animal. Bobcats are small and mighty carnivores with an appetite for meaty flesh.

This particular bobcat is in a tough spot, as kittens rarely leave their dens or surrounding areas until they can hunt with their mothers. And like all wild youngsters, bobcat kittens prefer the company of their own.

Luckily, WildCare was able to locate some companions; Sierra Wildlife Rescue east of Sacramento had just acquired two bobcat kittens of its own. The bobcat was transferred to Sierra Wildlife to grow with its own kind, until it's strong enough to return to the wilderness.

Hermance predicts the kitten will be ready to prowl the hills of Northern California by late October or early November, but warned that bobcat releases can be somewhat underwhelming.

"Our medical staff person opens the door to the carrier, and...the cat just sits there like, 'Oh heck no, I'm not coming out,' " Hermance told SFGATE. "They eventually run off and it's all happy, but, like cats of any species, they don't do what you expect them to do."

Read Michelle Robertson’s latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.