LAKELAND, Fla. (970 WFLA) - An orphaned bobcat kitten seen wandering the streets of Lakeland has gone missing, and rescuers fear for its safety.
The kitten's mother was killed at the intersection of Harden Blvd. and and Oakridge Parkway July 18.
Vikki O'Neal said she saw the kitten shortly afterwards.
“There was a little kitten in the road and it was eating something that was dead. As I got closer, I realized it wasn’t a normal kitten,” O’Neal told News Channel 8.
She stopped her car and flagged down some workers get the little bobcat out of the road.
Since then, the bobcat was spotted in various locations, but it's now gone missing.
Wildlife officials said it's important not to try and bring the kitten home. They said this would be detrimental to its chances of survival in the wild, because around six months the bobcat will become extremely territorial and urinate everywhere.
If you see the kitten, please contact Cat@BigCatRescue.org or call 813-493-4564 or 813-323-3263 immediately.
photo credit: Vikki O'Neal via WFLA-TV