Orphaned cougar cub finds home at Northwest Trek
Apr 2, 2025, 5:06 PM
Orphan cougar cub rescued near Spokane finds new home at Northwest Trek (Photo: Katie G. Cotterill/Northwest Trek Wildlife Park)
(Photo: Katie G. Cotterill/Northwest Trek Wildlife Park)
A 5-month-old orphaned cougar cub rescued by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) near Spokane has a new home at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville.
Staff say the cub was malnourished and dehydrated but is now getting the care he needs to recover.
“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.”
The cub is also receiving vitamins, antibiotics, probiotics, flea and tick treatment, and dewormer. Staff say he is eating on his own and starting to acclimate to his new surroundings.
“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.”
People living near Spokane noticed the cub in early March and reported it to WDFW, who set up cameras and confirmed it was an orphan. They set up a trap and, after several days, caught the cub and transported him to Northwest Trek.
“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.
As the cub recovers, he will remain behind the scenes at Northwest Trek’s animal care clinic. In the future, guests can see him along the wildlife park’s cat loop, near the bobcat and lynx.
