Grundy County woman’s pet bobcat named Vesta has been found

GRUNDY COUNTY - A woman’s two-year-old pet female bobcat named Vesta has been found.

Terry Squires said her bobcat Vesta was found early evening on Sunday after she was spotted by a family over by Shady Lane and Jugtown Road in Grundy County.

Squires she’s relieved that Vesta is finally home. Many people helped in finding Vesta and would contact her if there was a sighting, she said.

“I’m just overwhelmed. Everybody was such a great help and concerned and doing their best. Some left out food, some walked out themselves,” Squires said.

Squires, who described Vesta as “only a baby,” said she had to have lost five to 10 pounds since she went missing on Feb. 7.

“She’s really bony and tired,” she said.

Squires said Vesta is a domesticated animal.

“She doesn’t know how to hunt and do those kinds of things,” she said.

On the day Vesta went missing, she was playing with Reggie, her two-year-old raccoon, Squires said.

Squires said Reggie took Vesta’s GPS collar off and got outside when she let out her 4-year-old dog, Juno, and Vesta saw its hedgehog toy in the yard.

Squires owns the bobcat legally and has the required permits and licenses. Squires also said Vesta is updated on all vaccines and is spayed.

Vesta is not aggressive toward people or other animals, Squires said. The bobcat has been raised with multiple other animals and has been around children.