Less than Purrrfect

Cats don't really have nine lives but they do usually have four legs, but that is no longer the case for by a bobcat nicknamed Darlean.

The wild feline discovered months ago roaming a Frisco neighborhood had to have one of it's hind legs surgically amputated because the bottom six inches of her leg was severed in a trap.

Like any person with a disability, Darlean is craving her freedom and this Sunday she'll get it when she's released into the wild on some private property where prey is plentiful but she'll be on her own.

"She has this drive, she wants to be a wild animal more than anything in the world and we want that for her," said Valerie Marler of the Wildlife Center of Crosstimbers Ranch in Terrell, Texas.  

The fact that Darlean had already been forced to adapt to hunting and surviving basically on three legs has only aided her recovery according to Marler.

"She is whipping around she's running, she's agile and she's climbing trees we don't need to keep her,"  Marler said.

Walk by her cage at the wildlife center and it's clear despite being around people she's as wild as the day she arrived.

While there are enormous challenges ahead for her, the challenge for Marler is seeing her go.

"There's not a cat that I let go that I don't tear up and get really emotional over because it's the greatest thing in the world to see them go free," Marler said.

The unfortunate part is that Darlean can't go home to more familiar surroundings, there is simply too much fear surrounding bobcats in residential areas. Though bobcats are not known to ever attack people and only rarely come in contact with domestic pets, Marler said it's likely she'd only be recaptured repeatedly.

"She's an amazing animal she's been through so much and we really want to see her live where she can be safe and have a happy healthy life," said Marler.

The Wildlife Center of Crosstimbers Ranch is hoping to educate people about the importance of urban wildlife and the roles they play in ridding us of other rodents.  The organization will even be offering hands-on wildlife rescue training over the next few weeks.