Bobcat kitten found in Lenexa home reunited with mother after severe storm
LENEXA, Kan. (KCTV) - A bobcat kitten that was found in a Lenexa home following a recent severe storm has been reunited with its mother.
The Lenexa, Kansas, Police Department says that following a recent severe thunderstorm, Animal Control Officers were called to a local home with reports of an unexpected, wild intruder. A resident discovered a bobcat kitten that had found its way into their home as it likely sought shelter from the raging storm.
Lilly Novak and her girlfriend, Morgan, accidentally brought a baby bobcat into their home, thinking it was a normal kitten trying to stay dry from the rain.
The couple thought they were expanding their family of cats when they noticed what appeared to be a small kitten climbing on their window during last week’s storm. They quickly realized it was not a normal house cat.
“It went from thinking we were saving a baby kitten, maybe being able to have a new kitten, to then this is a bobcat, what are we supposed to do?” she said. “I mean, it was just a regular Tuesday night for us. We were just playing, and we were going to do bedtime. And then it just took a detour, but it was just shocking.”
ACOs said they were able to safely capture the young feline and keep it safe and warm overnight. It was reunited with its mother the next day, under clearer skies. They took the kitten back to the location where it was discovered, and mom quickly responded to the baby’s cries.
Novak’s Ring doorbell caught the bobcat circling the house several times that night, looking for her baby.
The following morning, Lenexa Police brought the bobcat kitten back to Lilly and Morgan’s home, reuniting them in minutes.
“Incredible to see, especially in your own backyard when you recognize all the trees and everything, and then you see these interesting creatures, so it was really, really cool.”
Novak’s children wanted to keep the bobcat, but it served as an important lesson for the family.
As the City of Lenexa grows, law enforcement officials noted that encounters with wildlife could become more common. Community have been urged to work together to protect both people and wildlife.
Officer Danny Chavez said it’s not rare to see this kind of wildlife, but it is unusual for them to appear in a suburban neighborhood like Lilly and Morgan’s. “We don’t people to bother these animals, but we want them to understand this is their home too,” he explained.
To reach Lenexa Animal Control, call 913-477-7385. Lenexa Police also recommend calling 911, which can also call animal control for you.
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