In the Cairngorm National Park, Pete McNab was walking with his friend Piotr and son Alistair when a flock of sheep blocked their path.He noticed a small kitten pressed into the snow, frightened and pressed into the crowded animals. Lost kitten turns out to be rare and endangered Scottish WildcatPiotr, Pete’s friend, carried the foundling under his jacket for several hours because he was too cold to stand on his paws.Throughout, he joked that the kitten scratched him so painfully, as if he were a wild animal rather than an ordinary cat.When the veterinarian told friends that they found a wild animal, moreover, a very rare one, they were surprised.The kitten turned out to be a Scottish Wildcat kitten. It is estimated that no more than 300 individuals of this subspecies remain in the wild, and they are in danger of extinction.The discovery shocked friends.The kitten has already been placed in a new home by Piotr.
He was prepared to shelter the animal himself if one was not found. Now, the situation has drastically changed.A rare cat could never be returned to the wild, but leaving it at home would be madness.Piotr managed to keep the animal under his jacket, according to the veterinarian. Wild cats have an extremely violent temper, and they cannot be tamed.Unfortunately, fate decided everything for them – the kitten, Huntleigh, who had already come up with a name, died from frostbite a few days later.Huntley’s story greatly influenced his saviors.
Pete and Piotr were upset by the death of the animal and began a charity fundraiser in support of a wild cat fund.By now, the men have collected almost 7,000 pounds after hundreds of people responded to their call.Pete’s charitable work was also noticed by the Royal Zoological Society, which oversees the Scottish Forest Wildcat breeding program.According to the organization’s staff, the kitten’s story prompted them to raise more money for the program.
