Bobcat that broke both legs after getting hit by car released back into the wild: "Deeply emotional"

A bobcat that broke both of its legs after it was hit by a car in Pennsylvania was released back into the wild after a monthslong recovery.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center said when the bobcat came to them on Feb. 15 after getting hit by a car in Adams County, about an hour and 45 minutes away, she was in shock and "clearly in pain." 

Both the bobcat's legs appeared to be broken, but since it was a Sunday, the rescue's veterinarian office was closed and no local practices would see them. An equine veterinarian with a mobile X-ray machine stepped in, confirming both legs were broken. 

By 8 a.m. the next day, the bobcat was in surgery, with veterinarians working on both legs at once to minimize the time the bobcat would need to be under anesthesia. The surgery, which lasted over four and a half hours, was a success, the rescue said, but a long road was still ahead. 

The wildlife center said the bobcat spent two months confined to prevent jumping, pouncing or running while she healed. A post-surgical exam and X-rays confirmed that the bones were aligned and healing properly, so it was time to move to an outdoor enclosure where she could start building muscles. 

However, this was the rescue's first time caring for a bobcat, and it didn't have a cage that would allow the bobcat to exercise in a controlled environment. What they needed couldn't be built in time, and a custom dog kennel was beyond their budget. 

But then Raven Ridge Wildlife Center said it learned about the death of a loyal supporter. It turned out that a donation made in her memory was enough to build and deliver a custom cage. 

After weeks of regaining muscle tone, the time came for the bobcat to "experience freedom once again," the wildlife center said. 

The rescue said caring for the bobcat was "an incredibly humbling rehabilitation experience for our team, and it was deeply emotional to see her free once more." It thanked everyone involved in returning her to the wild, saying the rescue "illustrated that it takes a village."