What a lucky lucky kitty. I'm so glad that Hope came to you guys, she wouldn't have made it without the wonderful support she got from Big Cat Rescue. Thank you for posting these wonderful videos, and educating people who want to buy bobcats. Please let us know when you finally catch her on video in the wild, I know she's still alive.
@guido5770 We track them in the release area and set camera traps to see if we can get images of them which we have in the past, we have a way of identifying them that way :)
@2Travelers1 We rescued 56 bobcat and lynx kittens from a fur farm in 1992 up in Minnesota, this is how we started. We are willing to rescue cats from anywhere, we also get lots of florida bobcats that are injured by cars that we rehab and release back into the wild etc...
cats are cute and so are bobcats and every cat like a tiger good job i would love have my own a bobcat but my 5 cats wouldnt like that and it would be happyer in the wild so STOP SAYING MEAN THINGS PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!! and stuff
@Knockwood08 We haven't been able to capture Hope on any of our camera traps yet, they got removed or stolen so we need to replace them in the same area. The momma cat and domestic kittens were all adopted by BCR volunteers! :)
Awwe, Hope is soo cute :) Im glad you guys are doing this. Have you seen Hope anytime lately? I hope you will keep us updated with her journey, if you can.
Does she have a microchip or GPS type chip so that you can see where she is at or know if she is still alive? It must be heartbreaking to think about something bad happening to her
We didn't microchip Hope, but we do go out to the release site very month or so and set camera traps to see if we can catch her on camera. We have other ways of identifying her, it is hard to see them go but it's definitely where they would rather be :)
We don't breed at BCR, this would just add to the problem of more cats living miserable lives in cages. Hybrids don't exist in the wild, people who breed ligers etc... only want to make money form these freak creations, they don't care about conservation or animal welfare.
Just wonderful! I wish I lived near Tampa just so I could volunteer all my time at BCR! It would be so great to be a part of seeing a story like this happen over and over again, well releasing healthy cats into the wild, not the having to take them in part.
It's always sad to see these cats go, but you know you're doing the right thing and they'll have a much better life out in the wild. This is the last episode for Hope :(
What a wonderful, heartwarming video story! It was funny to see Hope playing with the domestic kittens as a baby! :) It's good to know that Hope was able to learn how to hunt & take care of herself to be released into the wild!
Yeah, we use the chicks for enrichment and also for giving medications to our cats, we can put the pill in to the stomach of the chick and the cats eat the whole thing!
It's just not a feasible thing with the big cats most of the time, it would take a long, long time, cost a lot and why do all this when theirs not enough habitat for the existing cats out there in the wild!? That's what we need to focus on habitat preservation, if we can do this the animals will take care of themselves!
Bobcats normally weigh between 15-30lbs, so they are larger, they may look similar in appearance except for the tail, but these cats are WILD, they are tough little cats!
how many thousands did it cost to raise this bobcat only to release it to the wild where she probably won't last long?? did you manage to RFID tag the bobcat to track its whereabouts?
Wow, is it safe to release the bobcat back to the wild? I am happy for the cat's freedom but I mean there might be some human hunters or other large animal predators around the area.
Thanks for putting up all 14 episodes of Hope the Bobcat! It's the best series on animal conservation I have ever watched. I followed each episode closely and have enjoyed them all. My heart goes out to Hope and I wish him all the best!
Thank you, we release them and we do go tracking once a month near the release site and find tracks, plus we set camera traps and leave them there to try and capture a photo of them in the wild! :)
A happy but also sad day for everyone. Hope was lucky to be nurtured by all of you. You did a fabulous job and it was a fascinating journey. I hope luck stays on her side. I've awaited this video and now I am worried about her.
I really enjoyed watching her grow. I was quite thrilled to see this final video. I was concerned that something bad had happened to her because there were no new videos posted for a long while. It really was a wonderful learning experience. Thank you!!
1. At some point, did you remove the adoptive mama cat and siblings from the enclosure so Hope was alone? If so, how long was she alone before you released her?
2. What happened to Momma Cat, Maxwell, and Indy?
Thanks! Yes we did remove the domestic cats from the enclosure for quite a while before her release, maybe a couple of months, i wasn't directly involved with Hope. All the domestic cats were then adopted by volunteers of course, being youtube stars!
Thank you so much for this series, as well as all your other videos that you share with us. I'm glad to read in other comments that you do monitor the cats you have released with the occasional camera-trap. I was going to ask if you had any way to track their progress. It must be very satisfying to see those cats thriving on their own.
I don't get it. What was spent on this project? $50,000? $100,000. Just for one cat, that's not even endangered. I think America needs to grow a brain.
Nope, nowhere near that amount! It just took time that's all. It costs us $7500 a year to feed a lion/tiger, but a bobcat is around $500. This little cats needs all the help it can get in florida, they are being pushed out of their habitat due to development, it was definitely a worthwhile project :)
@BigCatRescue. I was responding to the comments made in the video, that this special bobcat habitat was made, and all there was in this place was the one bobcat. Land cost money, and the habitat cost money. Plus all the man hours that went into this. Even if it was all volunteer labor, I still don't get it. Not for just one cat. i don't mean to be antagonistic, i'm just trying to understand what is really going on here.
We have used this enclosure several times to rehab bobcats that were later released back into the wild and will continue to use it in the future. What we are doing is helping to preserve a healthy ecosystem :)
It's not your money, or your business. They rehabilitated the cat and released it to the wild. A rather noble effort. Should we ignore all but endangered animals? That's kind of ignorant, considering there is a wider ecosystem to look at and consider. If you don't like what you see here, why are you here?
Thank you, Big Cat Rescue! I have been following your accounts of Hope and she seems ready to be in the wild. Thanks for making the difference not just for Hope but for the cats she lived with who all found loving homes. I hope we are lucky to see a glimpse of Hope in her new world if fate decides someone sees her. Otherwise, I will wish her the best and most peaceful life in the wild she deserves! Thank you for what you do!
Hope is such a beautiful cat... It's so great she was able to be released into the wild! And the footage of her playing with her adopted sibling (?) is just heart-breakingly adorable.
I really disagree on this wasted effort in returning small cats like bobcats back into the wild after captivity. They can be raised as pets and I've seen a number of people that have. In East Texas there's hundreds of wild bobcats running around, some eating farmers chickens and quail. Some get trapped and killed just because of that reason. Most if not all of these small wildcats would be better off being domesticated in my opinion.
Errr you are soo wrong... bobcat females can weigh 20 to 40 pounds when grown... the males are even larger. These cats beat up cougars! They are wild animals and do just fine without us. I am a hunter but I only hunt deer.. I leave carnivores alone. I dream of seeing a wild cougar, a bob cat would be cool though.. in the wild alive and free.
@GoldenHawk529 As much as a dislike the idea of hunting...the fact that there is a lack of natural predators (because of humans hunting predators or intruding into their habitats ) in forest has resulted in a huge overpopulation of deer...especially in the north east. In response to this, I've heard of deer hunting seasons being extended etc. to keep these populations in check. It's whole ecosystem that gets messed up when a member of it leaves. Maybe there's a similar problem with bobcat prey
I disagree. One week in the wild is far better life than years in captivity. They aren't domesticated animals and will never be. Lynx rufus (Bobcat) will never Felis catus (cat) no matter how many people foolishly adopt them.
u guys are awesome:) it must be bittersweet to see her go; bbut she is where she is meant to be! BTW, have u guys seen the "growing up" series on animal planet? this would be great to see on there. maybe scott's heard of it? it would really help people to see that these are wild cats and make people aware of BCR and needs of exotic cats in captivity.
I have seen a few of the programs like that, the problem with these is that they make people want to experience the same thing and they go out to buy their own big cat etc... What do you think?
the ones i have seen are animals rescued and reared in zoos or wildlife centers. they take care of them when they are babies and after a certain age, they don't have contact with them anymore. other times they are rehabilitated. i guess it depends on one's point of view. i think it is a good opportunity to show the public that animals may be cute and cuddly BUT they GROW and having them as pets is a bad idea. just a thought:))
If I am hiking out in the willderness around Hillsborough County or wherever she is and notice that I am being watched by an overly curious bobcat, I'll say, "Hello Hope, good to see you!"
All good comments below, the sad thing is it's legal to own these cats as "pets" until this is changed the abuse will continue, you can help by visiting CatLaws*com THANKS!
I understand and appreciate your work in saving the BIG cats, but taking the tree hugger stance and saying it's wrong for people to have bobcats or servals as pets is a bit much.. Bobcats and Servals can be domesticated just like their smaller relatives. A house cat can become a feral cat once left out in the wild. Now as for having Tigers and Leopards for pets, I wouldn't take on such a feat. But if there are those that can, I see no problem in it.
the problem that lies with keeping large cats as pets is that the majority of the time the animal is abandoned by its owners once it, naturally so, becomes too much to handle. they are more often than not kept in unsuitable living conditions, and perhaps most of all, doing such a thing only encourages and supports breeders that churn out big cats by the dozens simply for profit with no thought of welfare for the animal. or worst case scenario, it's taken from the wild.
there's going to be that kind of problem in anything.. people abandon their own kids when things get out of hand. I'm basically holding the opinion that if people want bobcats or servals as pets and can show that they can tend to them properly, then by all means let people do it. I myself would love to have a bobcat or a serval as a pet. I've seen them as pets for other people and they all look fine to me. treat the cat with respect and love and it will become a domesticated pet..
You say that it's fine to domesticate servals and bobcats. But even if it can be done, why bother to do it?
There are plenty of already domesticated cats who desperately need homes. People who truly care about animals don't go kidnapping them from the wild to domesticate them for selfish reasons. They don't breed them, and they don't buy from breeders.
I don't want a regular domesticated cat. I want a Bobcat or Serval due to their exotic allure. I thought for a while that the Savannah cat would be a nice breed, but it's a hybrid and the breeders are out of their minds with the prices they charge.. $4500 for a cat, and if it's a male it's born sterile and the litters are usually born permature due to their size complications on the domesticated mother cat...
You say you want a cat that has "exotic allure." What are you going to do when that bobcat starts pissing all over your house? Ask BCR to take it?
And you're aware of the problems involved in breeding hybrids - ever think that's Mother Nature's way of saying that it shouldn't be done?
There are exotic-looking domestic breeds - siamese, Cornish rex, more. Consider adopting from a breed rescue. You may be pleasantly surprised when a kitty steals your heart.
This is the main reason why I don't support exotic breeders - there's lovely, loving kitties in shelters being slaughtered every day, but some greedy jerk STILL wants to breed out extra cats that will most likely end up in the shelter system, or put down when they hit adulthood. While domesticating is interesting to me, cats should not be bred out of their instincts if they can still live properly in the wild (especially when we already have a domestic version of them to own!)!
That is so great to put them back in the wild were they belong. That's why we should conserve all the forests and wildlife there is so it exists forever.
you guys made me cry ='''( shes so cute i just wish i could have one
medichristian1 4 months ago
dead chicken?? :O
itupito 4 months ago
She's a very lucky kitty cat. I think she'll do just fine, she learned how to take care of herself quite well.
jannisares 5 months ago 3
i think shell make it
1973slimshady1973 9 months ago
D: what happens she dies ;( cant you keep her a little more little until she look older?
SuperCuteButt1 10 months ago
@SuperCuteButt1 no you cant keep he rlonger she would get used to captivity and this is not what they want!!
helema23 9 months ago
No matter what happened with Hope, BCR gave her the best possible chance to survive and thrive under the circumstances. Kudos to you all!
Doodle1Bean 10 months ago 4
would hope still regonize her mother? o_o
xiEatPiexD 11 months ago
@xiEatPiexD Honestly, we do not know the answer to this question??
BigCatRescue 11 months ago
@BigCatRescue I'm wondering if she would recognize her domestic surrogate mother.
ItsukiHatakai 1 week ago
somehow i'm crying watching the release!!!!! so happy~~
cpydiana 1 year ago 5
What a lucky lucky kitty. I'm so glad that Hope came to you guys, she wouldn't have made it without the wonderful support she got from Big Cat Rescue. Thank you for posting these wonderful videos, and educating people who want to buy bobcats. Please let us know when you finally catch her on video in the wild, I know she's still alive.
FlutterFoxFly 1 year ago 3
You do a wonderful Job with the Cats. It was great to follow Hope growing up. Thank you so much, to share that with us.
SnooShee 1 year ago 3
have u seen her on the cameras yet or posively identified her. do u no wheter she is alive or not
krhoda420 1 year ago
@krhoda420 No, not yet. We hope she's alive (pun intended :)
BigCatRescue 1 year ago 6
great job guys i got tears .... :)
nick198101 1 year ago 3
Have you guys seen her again?
MSunflower1991 1 year ago
@MSunflower1991 We haven't caught her on the cameras yet... we've found bobcat tracks in the area though :)
BigCatRescue 1 year ago 6
do you ever chip/track them with gps to see where they are?
guido5770 1 year ago
@guido5770 We track them in the release area and set camera traps to see if we can get images of them which we have in the past, we have a way of identifying them that way :)
BigCatRescue 1 year ago
...But just when Hope runs past the trees, Ted Nugent crossbows a swift projectile clean through it's lungs and proceeds to makes a another hat!
wfd57fatman 1 year ago
@wfd57fatman inappropriate...go wherever it is you belong
kgclark01 1 year ago
how do you know the bobcats you release into the wild actually survive??
h2oiko 1 year ago
@h2oiko We set camera traps up in the area of their release and occasionally catch them on film, which is nice, but in some cases we don't know...
BigCatRescue 1 year ago
awww hope is so cute bobcat's but kittens are the cutest
thesassybreyergal 1 year ago
Just wondering how far you go to rescue bobcats or do they come to you...and are there other places like yours.
2Travelers1 1 year ago
@2Travelers1 We rescued 56 bobcat and lynx kittens from a fur farm in 1992 up in Minnesota, this is how we started. We are willing to rescue cats from anywhere, we also get lots of florida bobcats that are injured by cars that we rehab and release back into the wild etc...
BigCatRescue 1 year ago 7
whic city is a lot of bob cat?....north carolina?
jetleeming 1 year ago
@jetleeming Bobcats are all over the northern united states they adapt well :)
BigCatRescue 1 year ago
i am gonna miss hope!
JulietteDaria 1 year ago
@JulietteDaria pussy
SCREWED4LIF3 1 year ago
i think i cried a bit
dienapanah 1 year ago 3
what happend to the other 2 bobcat kittens ?? hope they didnt died
BoxedPaperTv 1 year ago
@BoxedPaperTv This was a previous rehab kitten...Hope was on her own the whole time :)
BigCatRescue 1 year ago
What kind of planning went into where to release her?
AniuLonewolf 1 year ago
0:58 peekaboo!
Kamateable 1 year ago
Hope is finally free!
Rakshaming 1 year ago
cats are cute and so are bobcats and every cat like a tiger good job i would love have my own a bobcat but my 5 cats wouldnt like that and it would be happyer in the wild so STOP SAYING MEAN THINGS PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!! and stuff
ig2468 1 year ago 3
I live in an area where we have lots of bob cats, they are sooo beatifull !!
Sylvia441 1 year ago
aaww that's a touching moment.
dickheadrules 1 year ago
Since the release have you been able to see Hope on camera, or seen her off camera? & what did you guys do with momma cat and her siblings?
Knockwood08 1 year ago
@Knockwood08 We haven't been able to capture Hope on any of our camera traps yet, they got removed or stolen so we need to replace them in the same area. The momma cat and domestic kittens were all adopted by BCR volunteers! :)
BigCatRescue 1 year ago
Awwe, Hope is soo cute :) Im glad you guys are doing this. Have you seen Hope anytime lately? I hope you will keep us updated with her journey, if you can.
Keep up the amazing work :)
Knockwood08 1 year ago
0:22
SirWalterEjr 1 year ago
0:22
SirWalterEjr 1 year ago
0:22
SirWalterEjr 1 year ago
So is bobcat hunting legal there? Cause I know it is in az haha
pantherpride147 1 year ago
beautiful video! gotta love BCR!
ghost26 1 year ago 2
Does she have a microchip or GPS type chip so that you can see where she is at or know if she is still alive? It must be heartbreaking to think about something bad happening to her
sherbertsmoothy 2 years ago 2
We didn't microchip Hope, but we do go out to the release site very month or so and set camera traps to see if we can catch her on camera. We have other ways of identifying her, it is hard to see them go but it's definitely where they would rather be :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
That was amazing! Keep up the good work guys!!!!!!
ixaproixa 2 years ago
aww
Mooky952 2 years ago
dont you guys ever think about Hybrid bobcat with domestic cat? just like Liger Lion tiger...
jetleeming 2 years ago
We don't breed at BCR, this would just add to the problem of more cats living miserable lives in cages. Hybrids don't exist in the wild, people who breed ligers etc... only want to make money form these freak creations, they don't care about conservation or animal welfare.
BigCatRescue 2 years ago 3
Just wonderful! I wish I lived near Tampa just so I could volunteer all my time at BCR! It would be so great to be a part of seeing a story like this happen over and over again, well releasing healthy cats into the wild, not the having to take them in part.
rednogo 2 years ago
wonderful job! however it very was hard to watch her leave :(
spunkypie 2 years ago
Cute! Glad that she could be released back into the wild. Must've been hard to see her go, though...
It was so funny when she and Indy climbed the wall xD.
DachshundStudios 2 years ago
you do amazing work, thank you for sharing Hope's story with us. :)
1quirkyblonde 2 years ago
Goodbye Hope.....
I'm glad you released her... Was it sad to see her leave?
ANd is this the last episode?
Nettleclaw 2 years ago
It's always sad to see these cats go, but you know you're doing the right thing and they'll have a much better life out in the wild. This is the last episode for Hope :(
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Omg, she was so cute... my middle name is hope lol.
horse14t 2 years ago
What a wonderful, heartwarming video story! It was funny to see Hope playing with the domestic kittens as a baby! :) It's good to know that Hope was able to learn how to hunt & take care of herself to be released into the wild!
MadJennyMorgan 2 years ago
i love hope's story and im tearing up!! ;-) thank you BCR we love you!!
KittyDizzle 2 years ago
aw? is that a real baby chick ; (
tweetydean1998 2 years ago
Yeah, we use the chicks for enrichment and also for giving medications to our cats, we can put the pill in to the stomach of the chick and the cats eat the whole thing!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
2:39 She turned back her head and I think she said Thank you :)
AssassinationProject 2 years ago 25
it must be really sad releasing her back to the wild
illidanwashere772 2 years ago
Hope is so cute.
And that black tuxedo cat looks like my cat, Gizmo!
Crucialify 2 years ago
how come bobcats can be released into the wild but not other cats?
jang0621 2 years ago
These are florida bobcats and we were able to rehab them from a young age so we could seclude them from people and hope learnt how to hunt etc...
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
so why not other big cats like a tiger? or lion?
jang0621 2 years ago
It's just not a feasible thing with the big cats most of the time, it would take a long, long time, cost a lot and why do all this when theirs not enough habitat for the existing cats out there in the wild!? That's what we need to focus on habitat preservation, if we can do this the animals will take care of themselves!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
She looks so cool! Good job BCR! And nice backgrouhnd music too!
Zblj1987 2 years ago
Congrats BCR! You enabled Hope to live as God intended!! Question; is Hope carrying a microchip? How do we know she is doing alright?
Sandmaven 2 years ago 2
I believe Hope was microchipped, we set camera traps at the release site and check them every month to see if we get any images of her?
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Have you been watching here, is she okay? I voted for you on FB. Thanks for what you do.
MrToshiro99 2 years ago 2
love this one, goes pretty darn good with the kitty i have as my "icon" at present
take care, thank you 4 all u do 4 these precious animals, t
Phoenix4Changes 2 years ago
What a beautiful cat, wonderful to see her get back into the wild, Great work getting her ready I'm sure she will be fine!
RealspitHiphop604 2 years ago
We hope so, thanks for watching!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
I'm so glad that hope is out and free. She seemed like she didn't really want to leave you guys for a moment but than she took off.
samiuseliina 2 years ago
We're glad she's out there too, where she belongs, good luck Hope!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
ive never seen a bobcat but they dont look much different from a normal cat except the tail? am i wrong?
zeusosullivan 2 years ago
Bobcats normally weigh between 15-30lbs, so they are larger, they may look similar in appearance except for the tail, but these cats are WILD, they are tough little cats!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
ah i see now, thankyou. =)
zeusosullivan 2 years ago
WOW amazing to see it being released back into the wild, you do an amazing job good luck to you all :)
MyRosieGirl 2 years ago
she is so cute :) big cat rescue is amazing
smoresrocks678 2 years ago
what a beautiful bobcat. and it's wonderful that Hope could be released :D may she have a long wonderful life
morri908 2 years ago
how many thousands did it cost to raise this bobcat only to release it to the wild where she probably won't last long?? did you manage to RFID tag the bobcat to track its whereabouts?
RebelRouserTexas 2 years ago
awweh . Hope is sooo cute!!!!!!! it musta been very sad and happy to see her go like that!!
Tigerluv6108 2 years ago
Wow, is it safe to release the bobcat back to the wild? I am happy for the cat's freedom but I mean there might be some human hunters or other large animal predators around the area.
AdvertChild98 2 years ago
This is a risk you have to take I guess, better off in the wild than stuck in cage for the rest of her life that's for sure :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
oh my god, the bobcat kitten looks so much like a tiger cub!!
AdvertChild98 2 years ago
To Big Cat Rescue:
Thanks for putting up all 14 episodes of Hope the Bobcat! It's the best series on animal conservation I have ever watched. I followed each episode closely and have enjoyed them all. My heart goes out to Hope and I wish him all the best!
vincecharus 2 years ago
Thanks for watching! Hope is female :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
What an accomplishment! Do you guys track these cats or do you just let them off?
cheetah099 2 years ago
Thank you, we release them and we do go tracking once a month near the release site and find tracks, plus we set camera traps and leave them there to try and capture a photo of them in the wild! :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
A happy but also sad day for everyone. Hope was lucky to be nurtured by all of you. You did a fabulous job and it was a fascinating journey. I hope luck stays on her side. I've awaited this video and now I am worried about her.
dorotwhy 2 years ago
She was released in a huge area of wilderness and we hope she will be fine, lots of prey etc...
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
I really enjoyed watching her grow. I was quite thrilled to see this final video. I was concerned that something bad had happened to her because there were no new videos posted for a long while. It really was a wonderful learning experience. Thank you!!
dorotwhy 2 years ago
Glad you enjoyed the journey!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Wonderful video!
1. At some point, did you remove the adoptive mama cat and siblings from the enclosure so Hope was alone? If so, how long was she alone before you released her?
2. What happened to Momma Cat, Maxwell, and Indy?
CattyCatRanch 2 years ago
Thanks! Yes we did remove the domestic cats from the enclosure for quite a while before her release, maybe a couple of months, i wasn't directly involved with Hope. All the domestic cats were then adopted by volunteers of course, being youtube stars!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Thank you so much for this series, as well as all your other videos that you share with us. I'm glad to read in other comments that you do monitor the cats you have released with the occasional camera-trap. I was going to ask if you had any way to track their progress. It must be very satisfying to see those cats thriving on their own.
andiwindsparrow 2 years ago 2
I don't get it. What was spent on this project? $50,000? $100,000. Just for one cat, that's not even endangered. I think America needs to grow a brain.
pilgrim4truth 2 years ago
Nope, nowhere near that amount! It just took time that's all. It costs us $7500 a year to feed a lion/tiger, but a bobcat is around $500. This little cats needs all the help it can get in florida, they are being pushed out of their habitat due to development, it was definitely a worthwhile project :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
@BigCatRescue. I was responding to the comments made in the video, that this special bobcat habitat was made, and all there was in this place was the one bobcat. Land cost money, and the habitat cost money. Plus all the man hours that went into this. Even if it was all volunteer labor, I still don't get it. Not for just one cat. i don't mean to be antagonistic, i'm just trying to understand what is really going on here.
pilgrim4truth 2 years ago
We have used this enclosure several times to rehab bobcats that were later released back into the wild and will continue to use it in the future. What we are doing is helping to preserve a healthy ecosystem :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
It's not your money, or your business. They rehabilitated the cat and released it to the wild. A rather noble effort. Should we ignore all but endangered animals? That's kind of ignorant, considering there is a wider ecosystem to look at and consider. If you don't like what you see here, why are you here?
zubery 2 years ago 2
I bet, a few weeks later and Hope would have been getting the better of her!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
He might kill a pussy cat...
jimmychuang 2 years ago
Thank you, Big Cat Rescue! I have been following your accounts of Hope and she seems ready to be in the wild. Thanks for making the difference not just for Hope but for the cats she lived with who all found loving homes. I hope we are lucky to see a glimpse of Hope in her new world if fate decides someone sees her. Otherwise, I will wish her the best and most peaceful life in the wild she deserves! Thank you for what you do!
Patreksfjordur 2 years ago 13
Thanks for the comments :) !!!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Hope is such a beautiful cat... It's so great she was able to be released into the wild! And the footage of her playing with her adopted sibling (?) is just heart-breakingly adorable.
WolfLover995 2 years ago 4
KITTEH!
sylviabombs15 2 years ago
Aaaaw it's so cute ^^
rottweiler96 2 years ago
cute : )
Chilldogg 2 years ago
oye nos has pensado en hacerles subtitulos en español
TheHakeem2 2 years ago
That's awesome to watch her be released!
MsDizknee 2 years ago
Yep, it's a good feeling to watch her bounce off where she belongs :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
cute~~
victoriacrl 2 years ago
I WANT ONE :D
GoldenHawk529 2 years ago
I hope not!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
thats beautiful
300ZXturboXX 2 years ago
I really disagree on this wasted effort in returning small cats like bobcats back into the wild after captivity. They can be raised as pets and I've seen a number of people that have. In East Texas there's hundreds of wild bobcats running around, some eating farmers chickens and quail. Some get trapped and killed just because of that reason. Most if not all of these small wildcats would be better off being domesticated in my opinion.
RebelRouserTexas 2 years ago
Errr you are soo wrong... bobcat females can weigh 20 to 40 pounds when grown... the males are even larger. These cats beat up cougars! They are wild animals and do just fine without us. I am a hunter but I only hunt deer.. I leave carnivores alone. I dream of seeing a wild cougar, a bob cat would be cool though.. in the wild alive and free.
equarg 2 years ago
why would u hunt anyway? poor defensless deer plus we got supermarkets to buy our food from.
GoldenHawk529 2 years ago 2
@GoldenHawk529 As much as a dislike the idea of hunting...the fact that there is a lack of natural predators (because of humans hunting predators or intruding into their habitats ) in forest has resulted in a huge overpopulation of deer...especially in the north east. In response to this, I've heard of deer hunting seasons being extended etc. to keep these populations in check. It's whole ecosystem that gets messed up when a member of it leaves. Maybe there's a similar problem with bobcat prey
Commandotoad 1 year ago
I disagree. One week in the wild is far better life than years in captivity. They aren't domesticated animals and will never be. Lynx rufus (Bobcat) will never Felis catus (cat) no matter how many people foolishly adopt them.
MsDizknee 2 years ago 3
There is so much love! I am moved!
vincecharus 2 years ago
u guys are awesome:) it must be bittersweet to see her go; bbut she is where she is meant to be! BTW, have u guys seen the "growing up" series on animal planet? this would be great to see on there. maybe scott's heard of it? it would really help people to see that these are wild cats and make people aware of BCR and needs of exotic cats in captivity.
luvflav2 2 years ago
I have seen a few of the programs like that, the problem with these is that they make people want to experience the same thing and they go out to buy their own big cat etc... What do you think?
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
the ones i have seen are animals rescued and reared in zoos or wildlife centers. they take care of them when they are babies and after a certain age, they don't have contact with them anymore. other times they are rehabilitated. i guess it depends on one's point of view. i think it is a good opportunity to show the public that animals may be cute and cuddly BUT they GROW and having them as pets is a bad idea. just a thought:))
luvflav2 2 years ago
What is that at 0:33
treldib 2 years ago
They are playing.
PredatorHuntress666 2 years ago
no that thing on the ground when hope rolls over at 0:32
treldib 2 years ago
That's what is left of a mouse :) yummy dinner!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Did you put a tag on her?
spygirl43 2 years ago
We didn't tag her but we do know how to identify her on the images we get from the camera traps :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Hope Bowed Before It Went Into The Bush!
50Jesse50 2 years ago
Good luck Hope!
SnowLeopardQueen 2 years ago
Hope is beautiful, I hope all goes well for her.
CanadaNS 2 years ago
If I am hiking out in the willderness around Hillsborough County or wherever she is and notice that I am being watched by an overly curious bobcat, I'll say, "Hello Hope, good to see you!"
seminolewar 2 years ago
That would be funny, it's becoming more and more common to see these cats, because they are getting pushed out of their natural habitat :(
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
SO CUTE!
Flygonxxx 2 years ago
don't people have bobcats as pets?
thezamzie 2 years ago
Some people do have bobcats as pets, but Big Cat Rescue doesn't encourage it.
emilygclarinet 2 years ago 2
i know its dangerous
thezamzie 2 years ago
Only an idiot would keep a clearly wild animal, that hasn't even been domesticated, in their own house.
The animal is unhappy, and you will be unhappy as well. Theres no sense in it.
PredatorHuntress666 2 years ago 2
All good comments below, the sad thing is it's legal to own these cats as "pets" until this is changed the abuse will continue, you can help by visiting CatLaws*com THANKS!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
I understand and appreciate your work in saving the BIG cats, but taking the tree hugger stance and saying it's wrong for people to have bobcats or servals as pets is a bit much.. Bobcats and Servals can be domesticated just like their smaller relatives. A house cat can become a feral cat once left out in the wild. Now as for having Tigers and Leopards for pets, I wouldn't take on such a feat. But if there are those that can, I see no problem in it.
RebelRouserTexas 2 years ago
the problem that lies with keeping large cats as pets is that the majority of the time the animal is abandoned by its owners once it, naturally so, becomes too much to handle. they are more often than not kept in unsuitable living conditions, and perhaps most of all, doing such a thing only encourages and supports breeders that churn out big cats by the dozens simply for profit with no thought of welfare for the animal. or worst case scenario, it's taken from the wild.
ItEnds2Nite 2 years ago 2
there's going to be that kind of problem in anything.. people abandon their own kids when things get out of hand. I'm basically holding the opinion that if people want bobcats or servals as pets and can show that they can tend to them properly, then by all means let people do it. I myself would love to have a bobcat or a serval as a pet. I've seen them as pets for other people and they all look fine to me. treat the cat with respect and love and it will become a domesticated pet..
RebelRouserTexas 2 years ago
RebelRouseTexas,
You say that it's fine to domesticate servals and bobcats. But even if it can be done, why bother to do it?
There are plenty of already domesticated cats who desperately need homes. People who truly care about animals don't go kidnapping them from the wild to domesticate them for selfish reasons. They don't breed them, and they don't buy from breeders.
CattyCatRanch 2 years ago 2
I don't want a regular domesticated cat. I want a Bobcat or Serval due to their exotic allure. I thought for a while that the Savannah cat would be a nice breed, but it's a hybrid and the breeders are out of their minds with the prices they charge.. $4500 for a cat, and if it's a male it's born sterile and the litters are usually born permature due to their size complications on the domesticated mother cat...
RebelRouserTexas 2 years ago
RebelRouserTexas,
You say you want a cat that has "exotic allure." What are you going to do when that bobcat starts pissing all over your house? Ask BCR to take it?
And you're aware of the problems involved in breeding hybrids - ever think that's Mother Nature's way of saying that it shouldn't be done?
There are exotic-looking domestic breeds - siamese, Cornish rex, more. Consider adopting from a breed rescue. You may be pleasantly surprised when a kitty steals your heart.
Peace. (;^)
CattyCatRanch 2 years ago
actually scientific research has suggested that it takes several generations for animals to become fully domesticated
look at Siegfried and Roy, they raise that tiger from birth, and still it attacked
starting a pet trade in already endangered animals is not a good idea, and besides there are plenty of domestic cats that need good homes
bobbybushae339 2 years ago
This is the main reason why I don't support exotic breeders - there's lovely, loving kitties in shelters being slaughtered every day, but some greedy jerk STILL wants to breed out extra cats that will most likely end up in the shelter system, or put down when they hit adulthood. While domesticating is interesting to me, cats should not be bred out of their instincts if they can still live properly in the wild (especially when we already have a domestic version of them to own!)!
capnquack 2 years ago
I agree with you 100% :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
That is so great to put them back in the wild were they belong. That's why we should conserve all the forests and wildlife there is so it exists forever.
allaboutnature 2 years ago 5
she's adorable!
TaintedWitch666 2 years ago
2 questions
1. is it hard not to get attached to them
2. can a bobcat kill a housecat?
KBala4 2 years ago
Of course, to both questions. It's easy to get attached to any animal and a Bobcat can easily take out a house cat without a problem.
kionji 2 years ago
Correct 7 correct, it's hard not to get attached, but you know what you're doing is the right thing so you don't feel to bad :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Yep. Exactly~!
kionji 2 years ago
Brilliant job - with knowledgr and heart!
anonymusum 2 years ago
Thanks!
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Was that a real bird she was playing with?
Akillian1 2 years ago
Yeah, we use these dead chicks for enrichment/meals, plus we use them to get our medications into larger cats, putting the pills inside the chicks :)
BigCatRescue 2 years ago
Smart ;)
Akillian1 2 years ago
Hope is beautiful!
And what a story! Momma Cat, Indy and Maxwell trained Hope well.
God bless you Hope & BCR.
*misty smiles*
DavidRayDog 2 years ago
Awh! How beautiful!! Good luck out there Hope :)
TheStormyWarrior 2 years ago
I am a man but this cat melts my heart ... :)
GabrielNotTheAngel 2 years ago 3