A bobcat in British Columbia found itself in a precarious situation when its hind paws froze on the train tracks. Thankfully, the distressed animal was rescued just in time by a train crew, but the operation was far from easy. With a train fast approaching and the frightened feline proving difficult to approach, the crew had to act quickly to save the bobcat.
Railroad inspector Coby Reid and his colleagues were carrying out their daily track inspection routine in Trail, BC, when they stumbled upon the bobcat in the early morning. As part of their job, the team must ensure the tracks are clear of any obstacles, but this day presented a unique challenge. As they approached the Columbia River, they spotted the animal trapped on the tracks.
“The cat was reposed on his haunches with one arm leaned casually over the rail,” inspector Coby Reid said. “As though he were reclining in an armchair.”
As the inspection crew approached, they soon realized that the obstruction on the tracks was in fact a bobcat. At first, Coby and his team assumed that the wild feline was simply unwilling to abandon its breakfast, the remains of a duck it had likely hunted. However, they quickly realized that the bobcat was actually trapped, with its paws frozen to the tracks as a result of the extreme cold.
Realizing that time was running out, the crew knew that they had to act quickly to save the helpless bobcat before the next train was due to pass by in less than half an hour. They carefully approached the animal, covering its head with one of their jackets in an effort to keep it calm while they worked to free it from the tracks. However, their rescue mission proved to be far more challenging than they had anticipated. The frightened bobcat felt threatened by the crew’s presence and was far from cooperative.
“We took a moment to think about the situation before deciding to call our office to ask someone to bring us a pail of hot water to help free the unfortunate cat from the rail,” Reid said. “A short while later, our boss arrived, water in hand and ready to assist.”
Despite the obstacles they faced, the dedicated men persevered and eventually succeeded in freeing the poor animal from its predicament.
“At first we approached it, and we were going to actually cover it up with a coat,” Coby told Radio West. “It definitely wasn’t the cute cat that you see in the picture.” Coby shared the act of courage on Facebook. “Saved this little guy today he was enjoying his breakfast (duck) and froze to the rail,” he wrote. “We got some warm water and freed him up.”
— CalgaryBuffalo (@calgary_buffalo) February 20, 2021
