A bobcat was caught wandering through the deodorant aisle in an East Kentucky store on Wednesday night. It was released back into the wild after the local sheriff's department captured a few photos of the little guy.
The Floyd County Sheriff's Department in Prestonsburg shared two photos on Facebook of the bobcat, who didn't look happy, being carried out of the store. The post has since gone viral. As of Friday morning, the post had more than 11,000 shares, 3,000 likes and nearly 2,000 comments.
The Herald Leader and Newsweek claimed the bobcat was perusing a Dollar General.
"This little fellow was captured tonight inside a store after store employees called and reported it being inside," the caption on the sheriff's department Facebook post read. "Deputies along with troopers and Martin Police were able to safely capture this bobcat and remove him from the store. He was released without injury."
Many people in the comment section were concerned for the animal's seemingly mangled back foot, claiming that the bobcat should have been taken to a vet instead of being released.
"This wildcat needs medical attention! There’s a reason he put himself in a situation where he is vulnerable," one person commented.
Another wrote: "I really wish they’d brought him to a rescue, or at least a vet. He’s a tiny baby, and I’m sure he had a reason that he put himself in 'harms way' by getting so close to humans. He is alone and needed help."
Others joked and asked how it got into the store without wearing a mask during the coronavirus pandemic.
Bobcats are usually twice the size of house cats, according to National Geographic. Their population size is believed to be as many as one million in the United States alone.
This isn't the first time an animal has been spotted running through store in that area. The Herald Leader reported that a bear was spotted rummaging through trash and ran through a restaurant when it was startled by a truck.
