Orphaned cougar cub rescued in Spokane

Bobcat or cougar? Magnolia residents report close call with wild cat

A late-night encounter with a big cat in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood left a couple and their puppy shaken up.

EATONVILLE, Wash. - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) rescued a five-month-old orphaned cougar cub found malnourished and dehydrated in the Spokane area.

What we know:

The cub is now receiving care at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville.

"When the cub arrived, he was in critical condition—extremely underweight, dehydrated, and anemic," said Dr. Kadie Anderson, head veterinarian at Northwest Trek. "He also had ticks and had been recently sprayed by a skunk. It took us 30 hours of administering fluids via an IV catheter to begin rehydrating him."

According to the park, Spokane-area residents first noticed the cub in early March. After setting up cameras, staff confirmed he was orphaned. A trap was placed, and after several days, the cub was successfully captured and transported to Northwest Trek.

(Northwest Trek Wildife Park)

Within two days of his arrival, Northwest Trek’s care team provided him with vitamins, antibiotics, probiotics, flea and tick treatment, and a dewormer. He quickly began showing signs of improvement.

"We’re gradually building trust with him," explained Becca McCloskey, curator at Northwest Trek. "Our team is feeding him chicken and elk multiple times a day."

For now, the cub will remain behind the scenes at Northwest Trek’s animal care clinic. In the future, guests will be able to see him along the wildlife park’s cat loop, near the bobcat and lynx habitats.

"If this cub continues to improve, the care he’s receiving at Northwest Trek is a true success story—defying the odds and giving him a second chance at life," said WDFW bear and cougar specialist Rich Beausoleil.

The Source: Information in this story is from Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.