A Family Thought They’d Adopted Rare Kittens, But They Soon Realized Something Wasn’t Right
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It’s springtime, and a family decides to take the plunge and adopt two beautiful kittens after hearing their cries. They’re so cute! But the clan’s happiness is short-lived to say the least. Following some pretty serious incidents in their house, they soon realize that these felines aren’t quite what they seem...
Imagine how crazy that must’ve been. Sure, the bedding-in period for new pets can get a little tricky at times, but this was a very different situation. There was more to the kittens than met the eye. So how did this all come about? Why did the family want to bring these two small cats into their house?
Simple really – the clan were under the impression that the felines were a certain breed of cat. Plus, they didn’t pick them up from an animal shelter or a pet shop. Instead, the family said they’d found the pair down a backstreet close to Salado Creek, a waterway in San Antonio, Texas.
Anyway, according to the family, the young cats appeared to have been dumped there. So of course they wanted to rescue them. Who wouldn’t? Kittens are irresistible at the best of times, but standing alone in a backstreet with no one to protect them? Face it: your heart would melt in an instant!
Like we mentioned earlier, though, the family also thought that these weren’t just any old cats. In fact, they were convinced that the kittens belonged to the Bengal breed. And to be honest, we don’t blame them for making that assessment. From the bright blue peepers to the mesmerizing fur markings, it all seemed to add up.
Now if you’re not in the know when it comes to cats, take it from us – Bengals are a very desirable breed. In addition to their eye-catching appearance, they’re highly thought of for a few other reasons too. For instance, as the website bengalcat.co.uk makes clear, the felines are pretty smart and can form strong bonds with their owners.
Thanks to that connection, Bengal cats are unlikely to blank you at home – which can’t be said about some other breeds! In keeping with that, the website notes that the animals absolutely adore fuss. They love snuggling up to people whenever the opportunity arises. So chances are, your lap won’t be getting much rest.
Plus, Bengals have another unusual character trait when compared to their fellow felines as well. Yes, these cats are fascinated by water. So should there ever come a time if they need a good wash or bath, you won’t have to worry. If anything, they’ll be jumping into the tub themselves with little encouragement.
But it won’t just be the bathtub – showers and toilets will be tantalizing spots for Bengals too. When it comes to the latter, keep the seat down! Away from the water, though, the cats are also incredibly active during certain periods of the day. They’re runners, jumpers and climbers. If the feline Olympics existed, they’d dominate those events.
Keeping all this in mind, you can understand why the family in Texas were so keen to bring the stray kittens in. Bengals would be a welcome addition to any clan. Yet those positive feelings soon shattered once the cats made themselves comfortable in the house. As we noted before, all was not as it seemed.
That quickly became apparent when one member of the family attempted to give the hungry animals some food. To explain what happened next, a representative of the Animal Care Services agency, otherwise known as the ACS, spoke to the KENS television channel in May 2018. The ACS worker, Lisa Norwood, revealed just how badly things had gone wrong.
Norwood explained, “[A woman] tried to feed [the strays] some kitten milk. And during the process of doing that, three people were bitten. Not bad bites, but bites nonetheless. They’re seeking medical attention right now.” Ouch! Talk about a nasty surprise. Yet that wasn’t the only shock in store for the family.
Unsurprisingly, the San Antonio residents began to question if these small cats really were Bengals following the attack. So they opted to do a bit of research on the internet. From there, the clan knew that they had to contact someone to help them, with Norwood going into more detail.
“Once [the family] started taking a look at the kittens,” Norwood told KENS. “Seeing how big they were, how robust they were, how their tails were bobbed, [they started thinking], ‘You know what, these don’t look like your standard house cat. Maybe we should call somebody.’ Thankfully, they did.” What were they dealing with, then?
Well, the answer could blow your mind, so brace yourselves! As it turns out, these “Bengal kittens” were actually bobcats. And while the name might not suggest it, they’re very different to your standard pet felines. For one thing, the animals are a type of lynx. And they can grow to over three feet long.
Those aren’t the only differences, though. According to the website of National Geographic magazine, bobcats sport bushy ears, big feet, short tails and lengthy legs as well. You won’t find many domesticated cat breeds with those features. Anyway, what happened to the cubs when the family reached out for aid? Who stepped forward to help?
Well, a member of the ACS picked up the bobcats, before handing them off to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation. This non-profit Texas organization focuses on “animal advocacy” – in other words, protecting creatures and helping them live lives unhindered by humans. The plan was to look over the young cubs, ahead of giving them the green light to be rehomed within a “protected site.”
But this story had one more twist in store. KENS noted that the clan might not have been entirely truthful about how they discovered the bobcats. You see, instead of stumbling across them in a backstreet close to Salado Creek, it’s thought that the animals were situated in Atascosa County, Texas. Plus, it had possibly been another member of the family who had picked them up.
Due to that, the San Antonio residents were potentially facing some issues regarding the “illegal disturbance of wild animals.” Who saw that coming? Anyway, the person behind Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation shared their thoughts on this tale while speaking to KENS. Her name is Lynn Cuny. She said, “The real story of these bobcats is one of tragedy, not one of ‘cute babies.’”
Cuny added, “These two infants’ lives were altered the moment they were stolen from their mother. Not only will they never know her loving care, but these bobcats now have to be raised by humans, their number-one predator. Though we trust they’ll do well, the fact is that no wild animal baby should ever have to make such a traumatic adjustment and suffer the trauma of being orphaned.”
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