Rufus the Blind Bobcat Kitten

[@bigcatrescue]

Hi, unfortunately Rufus passed away at the end of April from a massive seizure, we did everything we could to save him but we still lost him :(

[@bigcatrescue]

If he can be healthy and given a chance to be happy and content he deserves a chance.

[@overlex]

he's so cute! poor kitty:(

[@squeakystool8910]

Poor bobcat

[@minihercules317]

林思雨 he’s sadly a dead now :( at the very least he’s out of his misery

[@cryptomnesiac]

poor lil sweetheart, i'm glad he had such a safe and caring home.

[@agothbear]

He's dead :( there's a vid on it

[@cryptomnesiac]

Softieblupaw xx that's why i said had rather than has.

[@jayleen2281]

Softieblupaw theres a other one

[@Omskanielar]

Poor baby, he wouldn't stand a chance in the wild... You do a really good job with all those in need of help.

[@bigcatrescue]

Yes, unfortunately Rufus had a massive seizure and passed away despite our best efforts to revive him :(

[@bigcatrescue]

Losing them is hard. However, we have to keep going and save the ones we can.

[@bigcatrescue]

I'm sure you gave them the best life possible in the short time they were with you.

[@bigcatrescue]

There was still hope that he would recover his eyesight, so we kept contact to a minimum, but then it was finally ruled out :(

[@Colstonewall]

Thank you for all the work you guys did for Rufus. It takes a rare person/people to do what you guys did for him.

[@kaceyklos9510]

Chris Kavanagh

[@carl6956]

For all of you folks that think Rufus should have more human contact since he cannot return to the wild think again, Rufus will be a large cat much bigger than a regular cat and cannot be kept in a house,some bobcats can weigh up to 125 pounds,his claws are sharp and he still has his wild instincts,since he cannot see well (if any) he could hurt or injure someone if he feels threatened or startled,they also need a lot of space these good people at the rescue have to strike a balance between taking care of Rufus and not having him imprint and have less contact with humans.

[@MyLast2Braincells84]

Carl Covington Rufus passed away

[@I_pirated_premium]

THANK YOU

[@I_pirated_premium]

@@MyLast2Braincells84 that's horrible!

[@lightningbug6234]

I don't think bobcats are nearly as big as you think they are

[@bigcatrescue]

He's just tuned in to his environment, you can tell a lot about the mood of a cat by their tail movements.

[@sarahsoltau7265]

What a beautiful cat. Thanks for taking such amazing care of Rufus. We love you Rufus!!!!

[@bigcatrescue]

Rufus is still loved and missed.

[@parasiticlightningscourgev6674]

Big Cat Rescue why, did he die? Did you set him free? What happened? I hope hi is not dead...

[@intheshitter]

Big Cat Rescue What happened to him? :(

[@MyLast2Braincells84]

intheshitter He had another seizure and stopped breathing. He could not ne resucitated.

[@bigcatrescue]

Thank you so much for caring. Have you seen our older videos on KZbin about a rescued wild bobcat kitten? We adopted a domestic mother cat and her kittens so the baby bobcat could have a cat family to grow up with.

[@roserkk]

He's an adorable little fella!

[@acrylicowo8866]

That's right karkitty

[@bigcatrescue]

Sometimes it just did. Little Rufus was very special and he is greatly missed.

[@Funkylittleworm]

Oh poor little kitty! He seems like such a sweetheart

[@bigcatrescue]

Thank you! Together we can all make a difference.

[@oCreedify]

I'm so sorry but that was hilarious when she said, "We still have to remember that he's a wild animal." Then it pans over to him licking the floor and chewing on the plate. xD 4:17

[@derlinclaire1778]

Yes,he doesn,t seem really that wild,or vicious.

[@KP-ce6fx]

Lol yeah

[@ash-cb6zd]

Prob cause he cant see so he doesn't no how fight

[@pricklepines]

Creed k

[@pricklepines]

Creed k

[@bigcatrescue]

I'm sorry we try to get to all comments as quickly as we can. We all miss little Rufus and I think we always will.

[@jetmyamstaff]

Oh my poor little cat, you can see how he constantly licks around for his food. He’s so gorgeous

[@bigcatrescue]

THANK YOU for giving your dog a loving home.

[@annwithaplan9766]

Hi. Can't you just use washable shoe covers while you're indoors? It would save on the bleach, as well as prevent your wet shoes from getting bleach on the floor and anything else they touch. If an animal is that close to the floor it would be breathing it in, too. : )

[@bigcatrescue]

It is hard to lose them. Thank you for caring.

[@wjj54]

You guys are the best at wht you do and please keep. Trying to save them. :)

[@bigcatrescue]

Yes Rufus will be living at the sanctuary for the rest of his life, there's no chance of release unfortunately. But this doesn't mean we should be interacting with Rufus all the time he's a wild animal.

[@i.cweiner8647]

Rufus's eyes are bigger than my future, SO SUPER CUUUUTTEEE OMG .O. HI RUFUS!!!

[@AishaVonFossen]

I know I'm super late to this, but I'm so sorry to hear that Rufus passed away after only a short time with you guys. Thank you for providing a good home for him, I can tell he was very much loved and well cared for. And I'm sure he knows that now, watching you guys from Heaven. :)

[@thhseeking]

Poor Rufus :( I had an older cat that went totally blind, and her pupils were fully dilated. Being older, and living in the same house for over 10 years, she had everything pretty well mapped out.

[@bigcatrescue]

Thank you, Amy, for your kind comment. Have you seen our videos about the ones who did make it and got rehabbed and released back into the wild?

[@bigcatrescue]

Watch our cats streaming live at BigCatCam.com

[@Austin1x2]

Y would u bleach ur feet

[@ecologist_to_be]

+ABz Vetrum Germ removal

[@bigcatrescue]

+ABz Vetrum Rufus was on quarantine and it is important to maintain a sterile environment.

[@silverhairdemon]

+Big Cat Rescue bless you people great work, if i was rich i would support you guys

[@bigcatrescue]

+silverhairdemon You can donate for free by watching our KZbin videos. For every view, money is donated to the care of our big cats.

[@bigcatrescue]

We knew from the start that he couldn't be returned to the wild but we believed we could control his seizures and there was a possibility that his eye sight could improve to begin with and we knew we could provide him with the best life possible in captivity. Cats are very adaptable, Rufus relied on his other senses and soon became comfortable in his surroundings.

[@TheBaconWizard]

If rufus is blind, why are you minimizing human contact? Surely, there's no chance of releasing him back into the wild?

[@lynneperkins494]

I couldn't agree more. I found it heartbreaking. Wild animal or no, a baby carnivore needs a mom to stroke him, guide him, or at least "litter-mates"--it was so sad seeing him beg for interaction and getting only a bleach-stinking cold shoulder.

[@meluvzgir]

Meercat its just that even a house cat can be dangerous if they go for the eyes or the throat I read this blog once were a house cat protected its human from an intruder I thought it was very sweet

[@meadowfrance]

TheBaconWizard Of course they couldn't release him back into the wild. But he was still a wild animal who didn't know human contact. That's why they gave him a plushy with a heartbeat to snuggle with. He ended up dying from a bad seizure.

[@megdalena01]

And if he is such a wild animal, why don't they keep him in an enclosure outside??

[@bigcatrescue]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXrHho2mbtiEqq8

[@bigcatrescue]

He never fully recovered from the injuries he sustained prior to arriving here. Although everyone did everything they possibly could for him he didn't make it. However, he did have some good days.

[@Zeithri]

He's.. He's soooo cute!

[@bigcatrescue]

Yes, he can still smell, although this may be effected somewhat due to his brain damage.

[@neilreed50]

PS: I ran a kitten rescue for over 20 years, kittens that had lost their moms, kittens from just born to weeks old! We had one of the highest survival rates in Texas! We had. Kittens from across the country!

[@Kelvin70114]

What a beautiful, brave boy! Rufus is surely an inspiration to us all!!

[@bigjoe980sgamecorner]

Awh, what a shame. Sure moved around well for a blind animal.. almost wouldn't notice, other than overshooting his food.

[@bigcatrescue]

Rufus was in quarantine while this video was filmed, we were running bloodwork and other tests to try and determine the cause of his blindness and he had to be constantly observed because of the seizures he was having.

[@bigcatrescue]

FREE BOOKS with lots and lots of photos of the cats. Get yours at ChatBigCats.com/Books

[@creative_universe_gaming6917]

+Big Cat Rescue can I hold him pleasseeee

[@bigcatrescue]

He will eventually live outside in an enclosure next to other cats but it's unlikely that he will have any companion at this time. We have been taking Rufus on trips outside on a daily basis and he's getting used to the environment and sounds, video to follow :)

[@clyarbroughh]

I remember Rufus my sweet bobcat Rip lil one

[@bigcatrescue]

@Povidius Good question, he has begun to take trips outside to get used to the sounds etc... more gradually. Once his vaccinations are complete he will begin to live outside but we want to make the transition as stress free as possible for Rufus.

[@WireMotherr]

his little tail is adorable

[@bigcatrescue]

@CityFlashLights Good question, he has begun to take trips outside to get used to the sounds etc... more gradually. Once his vaccinations are complete he will begin to live outside but we want to make the transition as stress free as possible for Rufus.

[@Noone-nm1xj]

AHHH HIS LITTLE TAIL SO CUTE

[@fifthdimension326]

R.I.P. little sweetheart 💕

[@patio87]

What's the point of limiting contact? It's blind, it's not going back into the wild.

[@bigcatrescue]

patio87 We do not touch any of our big cats. Rufus may have been blind, but he still has teeth and claws.

[@ashleyspratlin1811]

+Corbin Chesley I don't think their brains work like human brains do, though. They're more instinctual.

[@davidtarotgamer6665]

I believe they're trying to say that your hands would need Doctor Strange levels of surgery.

[@lindacull1711]

Big Cat Rescue I wish he had gone to an organization that would more humanely deal with him. He could get used to love and cuddles. He looked like he wanted attention and interaction. Vets touch and pet large dogs, some agressive. If your workers are scared, they should find some place else to work.

[@bigcatrescue]

Law state if we were to get bitten or scratched by a bobcat, then the animal has to be put down. It is not worth risking his life being of a humans want or desire. Bobcats are wild animals, and we treat them that way.

[@bigcatrescue]

Yes, release into the wild is not possible, we were going to provide him with a permanent home at the sanctuary, but unfortunately he passed away after a severe seizure :(

[@Doreenweix]

it is wonderful to see this innocent animal saved and cared for. i'm sure he will have a good life at Big Cat. when I was a child my father shot an injured bobcat-there was no other way at the time, I was a young child-i'm 54 now. dad was a good shot. the animal was free from pain and fear. now we have options for injured wild life , and that is a big relief. long live Rufus.

[@sketchywolfgrl9564]

forlornblade382 At least his time was comfortable and he had people who truly cared for him.

[@TheBaconWizard]

forlornblade382 where's the info that he died? link?

[@emilyakins3280]

TheBaconWizard bigcatrescue.org/rufus/

[@parasiticlightningscourgev6674]

forlornblade382 what happened to him?

[@bigcatrescue]

Rufus was taken outside daily once we were confident his seizures had subsided, he was monitored when he was outside and got very comfortable with the new smells, sounds and obstacles. If you watch our tribute video to Rufus you will see him in the outdoor enclosure.

[@Tipi_Dan]

Thank you for your fine and loving work with beautiful cats. Rufus was a good little cat. What was the underlying cause of his blindness and seizures and were they connected? Thank you especially for caring for this boy so attentively and lovingly during his final days and hours.

[@ThePindar]

Tipi Dan he isn´t a cat,he is a bobcat,isn´t a cat,like a lion + cat but it isn´t a cat,its wild,dnt when they grow can be dangerous.

[@bloodirose]

Comer ATuaMãe It's a cat.... A lion is a cat... They just aren't domestic cats.....

[@ThePindar]

Bloodi Rose IDIOT,THEY AREN´T CATS,THEY ARE LIONS

[@bloodirose]

Comer ATuaMãe Not sure if serious or not.

[@bloodirose]

I see you forgot how to English....

[@bigcatrescue]

Hi, no we use such a minimal amount it's perfectly fine, thanks for your support :)

[@TheGreatMillz]

Oh my God, so many people asking why they avoid touching Rufus so much - Rufus is a wild animal! He may look cute, but he has teeth, claws, and clearly isn't domesticated! Some people just don't have common sense...

[@bigcatrescue]

Exactly!

[@catjudo1]

These are the same people who think that petting crocodiles is a good idea. Future Darwin Award winners if you ask me...

[@90Kirame]

What a lovely video! Thank you so much for taking care of him!

[@divinecookie3839]

Why does Rufus' tail shake a lot?

[@bigcatrescue]

+Hilary Tang Since Rufus was blind, his other senses were very heightened. All cats show emotion through their tail, and you can tell a lot about their mood by watching their tale. He was very stimulated and was showing you that by flicking his tail.

[@KP-ce6fx]

Yeah ikr

[@bigcatrescue]

@01spaz He has begun to take trips outside to get used to the sounds etc... more gradually. Once his vaccinations are complete he will begin to live outside but we want to make the transition as stress free as possible for Rufus.

[@RUdigitized]

I think that can see...he's just pretending so he can get all that affection from the girl...typical...

[@shadowfur3004]

no he cant pretend to be blind because if you look into his eyes it is clouded and barely visible

[@RUdigitized]

It was a joke

[@shadowfur3004]

oh XD

[@EndermanGamingBeastmode]

He's actually blind

[@Snowflakejammer5]

+RUdigitized dude he cant see he was trying to find his food but he couldn't

[@artfullofheart1]

Thank you so much for the reply, I'm so happy about the domestic cat and kittens being the baby bobcat's family. BigCatRescue does amazing work and I wish there were more caring people such as you!

[@pepecohetes492]

great work! loved seeing him jump in play, then relax fully extended :)

[@YoLoSwAg811]

Rip Rufus love ya

[@hammad74222]

Wait...he died ? ;-;

[@parasiticlightningscourgev6674]

what happened to him?

[@bigcatrescue]

Rufus is fine! The Ustream is currently unavailable someone who dislikes Big Cat Rescue mad a complaint about it so we are trying to resolve the issue, we will post to our facebook page once the channel is active again , thanks for your support!

[@sagal.h.462]

He needs friends! :(

[@bigcatrescue]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXrHho2mbtiEqq8

[@sagal.h.462]

Naw! How sad! I love Lynxes! :( My surname translated to Lynx-twigg so i always thought of Lynxes as my guardian animal. To bad so few people care about them! You guys are real heroes!

[@Hulk_Mania]

Wow! I only wish from my heart that all people on earth are as kind as you are with animals. Thanks for everything you do, you are the best ...

[@isisdragoness1981]

How is Rufus doing

[@bigcatrescue]

isisdragoness1981 Rufus passed away shortly after his rescue. You may want to check out this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXrHho2mbtiEqq8

[@malificentpurple]

so glad you were there to help him. i am so sorry that he didn't make it - but you saved him from a terrible death on the road, or from being eaten by a larger animal. it looks like he was taken care of, and most likely died knowing he was loved. thanks for all the hard work - i rescue and know how hard, and heart-breaking it can be.

[@FennecTECH]

why minimize contact tehre is no point since he will never be wild

[@bigcatrescue]

Whether of not these cats live in the wild, they will always be wild animals. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6eygYWuqch5rtU

[@FennecTECH]

i ment return to the wild i thought minimizing contact was to make them retain there fear of humans

[@bigcatrescue]

We do not touch any of our big cats. It is disrespectful to the animal, and it puts our livers and theirs at risk.

[@FennecTECH]

okay that makes sense its not really for the sake of rehabbing as i thought it was but fur the sake of protecting your own self

[@FennecTECH]

I spend most of my time with small exotics (foxes and such) wich could not really hurt you

[@Amyvvinc]

This is so heartwarming, all of your videos make you such a proud organization, thank you so much for caring for helpless cats like Rufus even though he didn't make it! God bless :)

[@nathaliewimmer9192]

why can't you guys pet him? isn't he kinda lonely?:/

[@dylana6244]

sometimes wild cats can't tell the difference between petting and attacking especially this one because he is blind

[@bigcatrescue]

@Kittywhiskers1000 Yes in Rufus's case he's just excited about what is happening around him and the different sounds, he's always ready for action and alert because of his exceptional hearing.

[@xoxoloveya991]

*bounce bounce bounce* .0.

[@bigcatrescue]

It's hard but the cats deserve every chance.

[@FallenStarr7]

How did you find out that Rufus was blind when you first got him?

[@bigcatrescue]

From the vet.

[@FallenStarr7]

Big Cat Rescue Okay, thanks. I was just curious because he didn't look like he was blind.

[@bigcatrescue]

This is to keep the environment as germ free as possible. It is done for the safety of the cats in the hospital.

[@navtel]

i think rufus needs some loving too and not just food.. all living things need the touch of another.. if you don't want to do that, send him my way.. i would love him.. i doubt that rufus would bite the hand that feeds him.. BTW.. do they have bleach in the forest?

[@ijnet9247]

+navtel Bleach on dirty shoes to help keep hospital area sterile as possible.

[@2degucitas]

So, smartass. You really think you have all the answers and resources to care for an injured wild animal? Trying to prove something. Rolls eyes....👀

[@kyu.misaki7677]

Wildlife care specialists tend to try their best to refrain from too much human touch or love to keep the WILD animal from 'imprinting' on a human. If an animal imprints it's dangerous for them to be released back into the wild. Partly, because they will gravitate towards humans that the animal could potentially harm and, equally, the animal could fall into the hands of humans that don't have their best interest at heart, like poachers. Not all people love animals unconditionally like you and I probably do and that's why it's best for animals to be wary of people.

[@grytlappar]

I think when the time is right he needs a companion, not a human! Either way, that doesn't seem to be what they do at Bug Cat Rescue, rescue them to be friendly to humans.

[@Isab5llas]

It is selfish to think Big cats want our affection, Big cats or Big kittens shouldn’t be petted or touched by a human. Let’s not forget they have teeth and claws, our ignorance can get them to be euthanized or re-Homed.

[@bigcatrescue]

@Cornka5 He would be with litter mates in the wild, but bobcats are solitary by nature and there's really nothing more we can do for him other than keep him stimulated by his surroundings and comfortable in our care.

[@aubrilawrence5039]

Why do u bleach ur feet

[@bigcatrescue]

When a big cats is on quarantine, it is important to maintain a sterile environment.

[@bigcatrescue]

Not really he is always to busy exploring and it can be dangerous despite his size, we did have contact it was just kept to a minimum we provided him with lots of things to do and play with.

[@empirestrikesback7732]

Rufus definitely needs another cat as a friend or he will rot as a lonely soul.

[@bigcatrescue]

Bobcats do not typically like other cats because they are solitary animals.

[@bigcatrescue]

We had to try. Sometimes things seem hopeless and then turn out wonderful with a happy ending. You should check out the videos about Hope, the bobcat, and Chance, the bobcat. Their stories turned out great. They got healthy, learned to survive in the wild and the videos of their release in the wild is highlighted on other videos on out channel. As heartbreaking as it is when it doesn't workout there is always hope. They deserve a chance. THANK YOU for the conversation.

[@rosecovell930]

A wild cat that can't survive in the wild, still treated as wild cat? Logic does not compute.

[@LuigiGodzillaGirl]

Even if a wild animal can't survive in the wild, their wild instincts are still there, which makes them unpredictable, and can seriously hurt someone, whether they meant to or not. Domestication does not happen overnight.

[@neilreed50]

+LuigiGodzillaGirl BS, that cat wanted love, I have raised feral cats that would rip you apart, you work with them for their trust! This cat wanted love, cats are social animals save for a few. Even lions love social interaction! I worry about big cat rescue!

[@maxdaae]

Social interaction does not equal physical contact.

[@Boofyre]

meenadaae YES! Nail on the head.

[@bigcatrescue]

Like us on Facebook to get daily photos and updates on the cats. www.Facebook.com/BigCatRescue

[@robertm8250]

This cat will never be able to return the wild so I think it is foolish to treat him as wild even though he is wild. I say give him love and attention and correction when he acts wrongly like any house cat. Even my big 19 pound house cat growls sometimes, I correct this with a lite slap. It may be too late now though.

[@leobull4533]

Robert M yeah....theyre gonna punt him across the face for being an animal. real smart you are

[@junbh2]

Whether he's released or not (in his case not) he won't be able to live with humans as an adult, so it wouldn't be fair to teach him to want to.

[@lesleyturnbull1585]

He is so sweet looking. I hope he makes out well and grows to be big, strong, healthy and happy. Good Luck Rufus.

[@bigcatrescue]

Hi, unfortunately we're still unable to broadcast Rufus in Ustream, once we have the go ahead again we will let all of our supporters know :)

[@deborahchristensen5473]

Thank you and God Bless you for helping Rufus. He is truthfully a beautiful animal.

[@bigcatrescue]

Unfortunately Rufus did not make it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXrHho2mbtiEqq8

[@bigcatrescue]

Yes he was.

[@bigcatrescue]

@catkisser We don't want to make it harder for him when he is living outside alone, plus it also sends the wrong message that these cat can make good "pets" which obviously we do not agree with.

[@rittercritter1876]

what a precious beautiful big kitty! Thank you Big Cat Rescue, for caring! God bless you

[@bigcatrescue]

Thank you for watching!

[@Alicia.Marie.13]

What you guys do is so amazing! I respect you for taking care of these animals which most people would just put down! I'm so glad that Mr. Ruffus got to live with love, toys and a nice warm place to sleep before he passed on... Thank you :)

[@user-wm4je4ct8y]

I'm glad you minimized contact. People don't seem to realize that we need to treat a wild animal as wild and not as a pet. I'm so sorry you got such mean comments here. Let a wild animal be a wild animal. You guys are doing it just right. Ignore all these people who are so mean. You do these animals a wonderful service. I know Rufus is gone now but he was so adorable and you give him a great life.

[@bigcatrescue]

Everyone did everything they could.

[@bigcatrescue]

@MismatchedMongrel When he begins to live outside, he will be doing his business wherever he likes, trying to litter box train rufus would mean more contact for no reason...

[@bigcatrescue]

The Ustream is currently unavailable someone who dislikes Big Cat Rescue mad a complaint about it so we are trying to resolve the issue, we will post to our facebook page once the channel is active again , thanks for your support!

[@dyndor]

Poor little guy; you are doing a wonderful job helping Rufus; Thank you! He must love the open door and fresh air on his fuzzy face :-)

[@bigcatrescue]

Nope he just goes where he wants and we clean up the mess!

[@PicklesMcGiggles]

God Bless You for nursing this little guy back to health.

[@noellewilliams3362]

Thank you for all that you do for these wonderful creatures.

[@benzizhott]

i heard about Rufus passing :( at least he had a good home for awhile and lived happy:) its nice to see how u guys help so many cats