After a long day of human interaction, we are craving some cuddles with our pets who are eagerly waiting for us at home. Those wagging tails and meowing sounds are enough for us to have a peaceful night. Animals can teach us a lot and various incidents over the years have proved this to be true. Adopting the amazing little creatures is always a good idea and the pet parents know what we are talking about! The animal lovers might already have some cute furry friends at home but bringing another one abode is never a topic of mental debate for them. The love for animals that Jill Hicks possessed was visible through her actions. One instance explains it all! A casual drive led her to an unexpected turn when she spotted a little creature lost in the crazy streets of the city. She had to rescue that feline but it wasn’t an ordinary act of saving an animal even though it felt like a simple one during the start. The kitten took Jill on an adventure!
Something On The Road
Jill Hicks from Chattanooga, Tennessee had planned a dine-out with friends on September 20, 2019, and she headed out for the same during the dusk. As she drove, she noticed something unusual on the road but could not fathom what it really was from a distance. It was something that caught her attention and she was curious to know what was taking up that space on the road. She was slowly approaching this mysterious “object” and it wasn’t a blurry view anymore. Now, her entire focus was that thing and she concluded that whatever it was didn’t belong on the busy street.
Instincts Of An Animal Lover
She was close enough to infer that it was an animal and not just an object. The tiny animal was scuttling across the road and that was extremely unsafe for a little animal. Jill was on the Graysville Road in Chattanooga, Tennessee and it’s a busy road especially during peak hours. So, she was concerned for the tiny creature scampering all alone and like a true animal lover that she is, she decided to take action. “I thought it was a baby bunny at first just because the fur was so fluffy,” she shared in an interview.
A Closer Look
Jill pulled over instantly with only the thought of saving the bunny and transferring it to a safer place away from the speeding cars. She stepped outside her car and moved towards the confused fluffy animal who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. But as the animal was in clear sight of Jill, she realized that it wasn’t a bunny. Any other person who comes across a stray animal stranded on the road would slow down and wait for it to reach its destination with small steps. Jill wasn’t leaving that creature to deal with the traffic on its own. With one closer look, she knew that it needed some assistance as soon as possible.
Hey Kitty!
Jill’s initial judgment about the animal was wrong. It wasn’t a bunny but a little kitten struggling to save itself from the strange surroundings. She revealed, “I got closer and I realized that it was a tiny kitten. I pulled over and opened my car door and left it open so that traffic would slow down. And I went toward the kitten.” Fortunately, Jill had a good knowledge of the animals and the ways to help them when they are stuck. She looked around for the little one’s mother or any other kittens in the vicinity.
Stranded Amid Danger
“I was thinking it was a kitten somebody had tossed out, so I thought there may be more. So, I was calling for other cats, saying, ‘Kitty, kitty, kitty,’ thinking more kittens would come to me. But I never saw a mom or more babies,” Jill recalled. She could tell that the kitten had separated from its mother and could not find its way back home. This situation is quite disturbing for a tiny animal and can cause a lot of harm. The sensible way of dealing with an animal in danger is to contact an animal shelter immediately or conduct a search operation for its mother. But none of those two ways seemed to be appropriate for Jill as the kitten needed help at that moment.
Taking Careful Steps Ahead
A lot needs to be taken care of before jumping in front of an animal without knowing many details about it. One needs to take some necessary precautions for the safety of everyone involved. The people who work at the animal shelters are trained to face them but the others need to be aware of all that can go wrong and be mindful if they are even one percent doubtful. Jill might not be a professional in this but she could sense that the kitten won’t harm as it was scared and in desperate need of help. So, she approached the kitty slowly. “It did run a little bit, but not fast and not far, and it crouched down,” she shared.
Running A Deep Analysis
Jill had an older cat and a dog back at home and she never imagined to encounter a little kitten on her way to a dinner who would need immediate attention. She might not be trained to rescue animals but she knew a thing or two about their behavior and the way they react to different circumstances. She could not leave the kitty there without its mother around. The heavy traffic on the busy road was highly risky for that animal and so, she chose to stay there and tried to hold it carefully and give it a better place.
A Rescue Operation
Jill had taken the task of rescuing the kitten and take her away from the oncoming traffic to a safer place. The dinner party was the last thing on her mind at that moment. She had to save a life and nothing could be more important than that. “I wrapped her up in a sweater that I had in the car with me, and held her close to me… I put her in the car with me, and she climbed all over me, climbed around the back of my neck, got into the passenger seat,” Jill shared. She had taken a big responsibility and was on her way to do everything in her potential to keep the kitten safe until she finds professional help.
A Jittery Kitty
Jill wasn’t sure how the kitten ended up in the middle of the road. As she was a pet parent, she had a good knowledge of the animals and their fears. She knew that scared animals might want to sniff everything that comes in their way and would be restless when shown a new environment. “I had to pull over a couple of times to get her situated, and I finally got her on my lap, wrapped up in the sweater and got her calm. And I was loving on her and petting her.”
Carrying It Home
Jill drove back home with the kitten by her side. She reached and her first thought was to carry the cat inside but keep it away from her pets. So, the garage seemed to be an appropriate space for the rescued kitten. This woman had all the things at her place that an animal would need to feel comfortable. She wanted the kitten to be calm and so, built a special spot for her in the garage. Jill used her sweater as a cozy cover for the cat inside the cardboard box. She even kept a food bowl near it with some cat food and water assuming that the kitty might be hungry. She placed a litter box too. How thoughtful of Jill! However, she had a few more unexpected events lined up for her.
Next Necessary Steps
After providing the little kitten with all the essentials and giving it a perfect spot to rest in the garage, Jill felt good and was no longer worried about the cat being stuck at a dangerous place by itself.
She was an animal lover but she was aware that she had her hands tied as far as keeping another pet was concerned. So, she decided to post about this little one on her Facebook and see if anyone would be ready to adopt it. Her post was live and she gave a final look to the kitten sitting in that place adjusting to its spot before stepping out for the dinner with her friends.
Seeking A Loving Home
Jill was quick to click a few pictures of the cat to post it on Facebook to let people know about this rescued kitten in a much better way. She uploaded the cute picture and wrote, “Just found this kitten on the side of the road. He/she is a bobtail. It needs a loving home. Anyone?” Jill ran a quick observation and concluded its breed to be bobtail. She knew that is was a rare one to be found around but she was unaware of a few more things that hid with the cat.
Flood Of Affection
After Jill came back home from the dinner, she went straight to the little cat in the garage and could not help but shower it with more love and care. Isn’t that the sweetest thing? Since the kitten was stranded on the street, Jill decided to take it for a warm bath to clean it up and then give it some space in her bed. But before she carried her inside the home, she made sure that her pets were peacefully settled in another room. The kitten was not ready to encounter any more new faces. Just when she was all set to cuddle with the bobtail, she heard her neighbor heading over to her house in a hurry.
Showing Up Hastily
Jill’s neighbor had seen her post about the cat and came over to ask a few questions. She seemed to be in quite a rush and it was slightly strange. She revealed, “My neighbor from across the street came running over… She said, ‘Jill, do you still have that kitten?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I do.’ She said, ‘Can I see it?” It was baffling for Jill as she did not expect such a reaction from her neighbor about a tiny animal she found in the middle of the busy road. What was the rush all about?
Comments Under The Post
Jill had not yet gone through the comments under her post as she was out with her friends and then she was engaged in taking care of the cat. She didn’t realize that many people were talking about the tiny creature and it caused some mysteries. Some of the users wrote that they were thrilled to see an adorable kitten being rescued by her and asked her to consider keeping it. But one comment made her neighbor leave everything and run towards Jill’s house. Jill shared, “[My neighbor said], 'I think it might be a bobcat. Have you read all the posts on Facebook from the picture you posted?”
An Unexpected News
Jill was in utter shock to know that the kitten she was pampering and caressing all this while was a bobcat. Her neighbor seemed to be concerned and that was the reason for her haste. “I was going to go home from dinner, give her a bath, put her in the bed with me, and when we decided she was a bobcat, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’d probably better not do all that’,” she revealed. Now, they had to examine the kitten again to check for the bobcat traits and physical features. A domestic cat or a wild bobcat - who was she dealing with?
The Wild Features
Jill prepared herself for a thorough inspection of the tiny cat. She had to observe it carefully to notice any wild features possessed by the kitten. After an in-depth analysis, she was shocked to know that she just brought home a bobcat. She mistook it for a housecat all this time. “I knew she had a short tail when I first saw her, but I had not fully examined her until I got back from dinner. There are cats with short, stubby tails, but this one was a little pointy at the end and had a little white spot on it,” she revealed. Further, Jill realized more astonishing traits that confirmed it to be a bobcat.
Weirdly Aggressive
Jill dealt with a house cat regularly and she knew all about its behavioral characteristics. House cats are aggressive to some extent but wild ones can be extremely hostile and unfriendly. So, the doubts were slowly turning stronger and with further examination, she found out that this feline isn’t a domestic one. “She had started getting a little hissy… and growling a little bit. So, I said, ‘Yeah, this might be a bobcat,” she shared. This was not what Jill expected from her small rescue mission. It was a dilemma for her now!
An Essential Update
After bringing the kitten home that evening, Jill had posted on Facebook asking people if they wish to adopt it. But now, she realized that it wasn’t a house cat and she needed to inform this to the ones who were commenting on her post. She posted an update clarifying the breed of the feline and even uploaded a few adorable pictures of her and the bobcat with the caption. She wrote, “Ok so never mind about rehoming this “kitten” I found on the side of the road …apparently I rescued a baby bobcat.”
A Profusion Of Reactions
This second post declaring the rescued kitten to be a bobcat went viral! The post garnered a lot of attention and was shared 33,000 times. There were almost 13,000 comments below this update with some people finding it relatable while others writing that this is crazy! People were astonished by this experience that Jill had and they had a hard time believing that she actually carried a bobcat and fed her at her home. Of course, Jill wasn’t expecting such a response to her post. This was just one part of the adventure that she was on! The twists were showing up fast now.
True Love For Animals
Jill’s entire focus was on the bobcat especially after knowing the reality and risks involved while taking care of a wild feline. She had saved a cat from the harsh surroundings without realizing the reality of the kitten. Once she knew that it was a bobcat, she was figuring out the right step for dealing with this situation. It was late at night when all of this came to light and so, Jill had to wait until morning to take action. Her love for animals knew no bounds and she never thought of abandoning the little kitten after being enlightened by its actual breed.
She might not be able to keep it close but she made sure that she had company throughout the night.
A Good Night In The Garage
From the moment Jill stopped her car to approach the scared lonely animal in the middle of the road, Jill had proved that she was dedicated to helping the animals regardless of the effort that it needs. What she did for the rescued kitten despite knowing that is was a wild cat is unbelievable! She made her bed with the bobcat in the garage for that night as leaving it alone seemed heartless to her. This could not get any more heartwarming! “About every 30 minutes, I would turn the light on and look to make sure she was good. I did get her to drink a lot of water,” she shared. Jill took care of her like her own pets for the whole night. “She never ate anything that night, but she did eat some tuna fish the next morning,” she further revealed.
Calling On Professional Help
When Jill woke up the next morning, she had some decision to make and a big task at hand. After giving the feline some food to eat, she connected with a rescue shelter nearby named For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue. The director of the shelter, Juniper Russo talked to her and took some details from her about the bobcat. As soon as they were clear about the situation and predicted the consequences, they offered their help. Jill took the cat to this rescue shelter where it was being tested properly. They needed to know every tiny detail about the rescued kitten before they can devise a plan to ensure its safety.
Arwen Arrives
The shelter took in the little feline and gave her all the attention it wanted at that moment. They conducted a few medical tests to check for any serious issues and make sure that the cat is taken care of properly. They named it “Arwen” and they realized that it was only seven weeks old. It was suffering and they did everything in their potential to help the kitten. “Arwen developed anemia shortly after she arrived, probably because of multiple factors including the sudden separation from her mom… She needed a few days of intensive care but is now doing very well,” Jill told in the interview to update everyone.
Checking All Aspects
The members of that rescue shelter kept their eyes on the little one for many days and attended to very gently throughout its recovery. A few days later, Arwen was doing really well in terms of physical health. They were also worried about its experience of being all alone on the road and its impact on Arwen’s mind and behavior. Initially, the kitten was afraid to move and respond to the treatments but eventually, it grew out of that tough phase and its behavior changed for the better. The rescue shelter wrote about Arwen on their page, “She’s fearless and bold and has no interest in humans, which is exactly what we hope to see.” The typical bobcat traits were clearly visible now and they nicknamed that furry feline, “Little Miss Murdermittens”. “Arwen, who we’ve mentally nicknamed Little Miss Murdermittens, has become very aggressive now that she’s feeling well.”
Growing Up To Be Truly Wild
The wild feline was slowly learning to live in this world and was reflecting the actual personality of a bobcat. “Now one month into rehabilitation, Arwen is growing up fast and becoming noticeably wilder every day. There’s no way she’d be mistaken for a cuddly kitten now! Miss Murdermittens is starting to learn pre-hunting skills and likes to leap on her toys and shake them,” the rescue shelter shared this on Facebook. Juniper Russo was glad that this bobcat came their way and they had the privilege to watch it grow. He revealed, “I expect that she’ll need care until next spring. When the time comes, she’ll be released into a protected wilderness area.”
Reality Of Bobcats
There was a reason for Jill to feel shocked to know that she carried a bobcat home. Her assumption of it being a bobtail was only proven wrong after her neighbor read a comment stating the actual breed of the rescued kitten. For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue explained all about this wild cat in one of their posts dedicated to Arwen. “Did you know that bobcats, despite often being only slightly larger than house cats in our region, are actually very powerful and dangerous?” They further explained, “A bobcat’s bite is actually stronger than a fox, lynx, or even a coyote! It’s part of how they’re able to take down prey much larger than themselves, including small deer.”
Love Pouring In For Arwen
The tiny feline had melted many people’s hearts and it became famous after Jill rescued it and took it to the animal shelter. They were in awe of this incredible story and when Arwen was recovering in the shelter, the members received many requests for adopting this feline. They clarified on their page, “That brings us to another point that we wish we didn’t have to constantly reiterate: Arwen is not a pet and is not for sale. We’re still getting messages from people offering to adopt or buy her, and so is her original finder! Some are even offering thousands of dollars.” “We will not sell any of our patients under any circumstances,” their post read. “Thank you all for your continued love and support for this amazing bobkitten.”
Separation From Its Mother
The main reason for Arwen to be sick and scared was the lack of motherly care. The little two-months-old kitten separated from its mother and it can be really traumatic to go through such an experience. This is why Jill looked around when she first came across the cat stranded in the middle of the road. He was aware of the fact that the baby animals need to have their mother around at all times. “It’s always best for baby wild animals to stay with their natural mothers whenever possible… Even with the very best care, a baby animal’s best chance of survival is always with its mother.” Finding Arwen’s mother proved to be futile and so, it had to stay at the shelter for as long as it takes for it to prepare for the outside world.
Reminiscing That Moment
Arwen was being treated at the rescue shelter and considering its wild nature, it wasn’t allowed near anyone strange and unknown as it can be risky. Jill fondly remembers that moment of picking it up from the road and carrying it inside her car. She misses her little furry feline and wishes for it to be free, happy, and healthy soon. “Even though I thought she was a kitten, had I known she was a bobcat, and that small, and in that high traffic area, I still would have done the same thing,” she recalled in an interview.
Bidding Goodbye To Her Rescue Kitten
For Jill, it was hard to say goodbye to the furry friend rescued by her. However, she knew in her heart that professional care is what Arwen needs to grow fearlessly. “Long story short, Arwen is safe and will be put with two other bobcats when she gets a little bigger. Once they have all matured, they will be released at enterprise south where there is a colony of bobcats,” she shared in a Facebook post. She did not shy away from expressing her feeling about the tiny bobcat, “I know this sounds crazy, but she had already stolen a little piece of my heart overnight. I got up every 30 mins and checked on her during the night. And I cried like a baby when I left her but I know she is in good hands!”
