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Volunteers Toughen Up Bobcat Kitten Who's Too Nice

PLACERVILLE, Calif. (AP) -- A Northern California animal rescue group is trying to help an orphaned bobcat kitten with a problem: She's too nice.

The kitten was only a few weeks old when she was found in August by fire crews who battled the 75,000-acre Chips fire in the Plumas National Forest.

chips
(credit: Patrick Dollins/mtdemocrat.com)
Chips 2
(credit: Patrick Dollins/mtdemocrat.com)
chips 3
(credit: Patrick Dollins/mtdemocrat.com)
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Tad Hair holds up a baby bobcat he rescued from the Chips Fire. (credit: U.S. Forest Service)
baby bobcat
A baby bobcat was rescued from the Chips Fire and is now being nursed back to health. (credit: U.S. Forest Service)

The bobcat, which had burned paws, would follow the crew and nuzzle their boots. Named Chips, she was taken to the Sierra Wildlife Rescue in Placerville.

Volunteers there are trying to toughen her up to release her back into the wild next spring.

Volunteer Jill Tripoli says she's been introduced to two male bobcats who hiss and bare their claws at humans. And she now has to chase down her own mice for meals.

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