04-03-2025
Fitchburg police rescue 'unwell' bobcat from the middle of the road near Madison
An unhealthy bobcat was rescued from a Dane County road over the weekend.
The Fitchburg Police Department said it was dispatched around 3 p.m. Saturday after someone reported a bobcat sitting in the middle of the road near Commerce Park Drive and Cottonwood Driv. The area is about six miles from downtown Madison and is surrounded by an industrial park, a movie theater and other businesses. The Military Ridge State Trail is about a block away.
Fitchburg police said the cat was "being unsafe and stubborn" in the road, and the caller who reported it said the animal "looked unwell."
Wisconsin WildCare, a DeForest-based wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization, helped officers safely remove the bobcat. The animal was turned over to its care.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, bobcats can be found in all 72 Wisconsin counties. WiscNews reported that over 46,500 of them call Wisconsin home.
Bobcats are generally between 20 and 30 pounds, the DNR says. They have light brown fur with spots and a short tail with black bands on the top.
Historically, bobcats are a northern Wisconsin species, the DNR says, but recently, sightings have increased in the central and southern portions of the state.
More: Smith: When it comes to wildcats in Wisconsin, bobcats are king
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fitchburg police rescue sick bobcat from the middle of the road
