One small bobcat in a big world

We're still at low energy here due to the lingering flu (can you imagine what this illness would have been like if we hadn't had flu shots?)... and, to top it off, we awakened to find that Shyla had an upset tummy. So, I spent some time with R while the Runner took Shyla to the vet.

Shyla seems to be improving. We were concerned that she might have eaten a foreign object (she truly still is a puppy) but there was no evidence of one. I'm very gradually increasing her exercise as her leg fracture heals... but she is still mischievous due to her current sedate lifestyle. Amazingly, she didn't chew anything illegal until we had to curtail her exercise.

Today, I was glad that I checked a trail camera because the cat activity made me smile. This is the site where a big male mountain lion marked a short time ago.

The latest activity was a visit by the mother bobcat and her kitten. The first hint was a glimpse of the back of the mother's ears.

Then, the two of them filed into the clearing together.

They both appeared to be headed for the mountain lion marking spot. You can barely tell that the cat on the right is the kitten, based on his shorter stature.

The inexperienced kitten proceeded to the base of the tree, often marked by coyotes and other canines. Wiser mom stopped to sniff the mountain lion's marking.

Then, the two of them left the clearing for about 4 minutes before mom led the kitten back into the clearing. She went directly to the spot marked by the mountain lion.

Audacious mom squatted to mark over top of the lion's urine (compare the bobcat's size to the mountain lion's size). At the same time, oddly, the kitten sniffed the mountain lion's marking for the first time. I think that he might have been doused by his mom!

Mom departed first, her job finished. The kitten, who is still learning about the big bad world, stayed behind to sniff the spot some more.

What a joy to see those two together, knowing that the kitten is getting the education of a lifetime from his mother. Last year, I kept getting photos of a mother-kitten pair together into the early months of the new year... but not after that.

Interestingly, the other evening, Shyla and I saw a bobcat during our evening walk. Shyla is proving to be a great wildlife watching companion. She silently sat next to me as we both watched the bobcat bound through the white trunk maze of a leafless aspen grove. The bobcat stopped on a rusty colored boulder and looked at us. After a brief assessment of us, he disappeared into a jumble of boulders. It was too dusky for me to take any photos but it was a wonderful moment.

Due to my low mood and energy, I was particularly happy to see the continued success of the mother bobcat raising her kitten in my trail camera photos. I know that she's just one small bobcat in a great big world - but, if I didn't take joy in small stories like hers, my life would be far less rich.

I leave you with a photo from a purple and yellow dusk. Yes, the beauty all around us is another joy.