Baby Bobcat Survives Being Hit by Car in Central New York

A Baby Bobcat Gets A Second Chance

A baby bobcat had a pretty rough day in Central New York after it was clipped by a car on Route 233 in Westmoreland.

The little bobcat was stunned after being hit, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was called to help.

Jeff Hull from the DEC took the injured bobcat to Woodhaven Wildlife Center, where it could recover safely and get checked out before being released back into the wild.

It Didn't Take Long To Get Its Attitude Back

Apparently, all this little guy needed was a few days of rest.

Once he started feeling better, the sweet, cuddly-looking baby bobcat quickly went back to acting like a wild animal.

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The folks at Woodhaven Wildlife Center said he was no longer "handleable" — which is a good sign when you're talking about a wild animal that needs to return to the woods.

After recovering at Woodhaven Wildlife Center and being cleared for release, the bobcat was returned to the area where he was originally found.

Bobcats Are More Common In New York Than You Might Think

Bobcats are native to New York, and their range has expanded over the years.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, bobcat populations are considered stable to increasing throughout most of the state.

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READ MORE: Bobcat Captured Digging Through Adirondack Snow in Stunning Video

DEC has also documented substantial growth in bobcat observations in parts of Central and Western New York.

So if you're driving through the area and spot what looks like an unusually large kitten crossing the road, don't assume somebody's cat got loose.

It could be a bobcat.

And after this little guy's adventure, hopefully he'll stay far away from Route 233 and stick to the woods where he belongs.