Cute Baby Bobcat Is Determined To Show The World How Ferocious He Is

His name is Mr. Murderbritches 😹

Bobcat kittens look pretty adorable and snuggly — until you get too close. 

That’s just the memo the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is hoping to publicize after one of its wildlife officers was hilariously “attacked” on the job last month by a very tough little bobcat.

bobcat in the wild
Wikimedia Commons

Video of the wild kitten punching and hissing at the officer from inside a cage has gone viral — and now the animal, charmingly nicknamed Mr. Murderbritches by the officers, has stolen the internet’s heart with his unfaltering bravery. 

After Mr. Murderbritches was spotted prowling after someone’s pet chickens near Kanarraville, Utah, in November, the officers were called in to relocate him to a less populated area. Officers safely caught the young cat with no problems — except that they now had a very angry, very tiny kitty on their hands. 

After seeing the clip of Mr. Murderbritches, the Center for Biological Diversity created its own version — complete with subtitles that translate the cat’s growls into sassy, aggressive remarks.

angry bobcat released into wild
Twitter/Center for Biological Diversity

“Watch these wildlife officials struggle to stay alive as they release the world's most badass bobcat kitten back into the wild,” the group tweeted. Over 750,000 people have since watched the silly video. 

Bobcats are very timid animals and typically avoid humans at all costs — which would explain why Mr. Murderbritches was so annoyed with the officers. Luckily, that’s just the response healthy bobcats should have in the presence of people‚ even pint-sized kittens like Mr. Murderbritches.

angry bobcat kitten release
Twitter/Utah DWR

Due to their fluffy appearance, unfortunately it’s quite common for younger bobcat kittens to end up in a home when would-be Good Samaritans “rescue” them, mistaking them for domestic cats. Earlier this year, a family actually stole two bobcat kittens from the wild to keep as pets, only handing them over to wildlife officials after being bitten. The experience left the kittens orphaned and compromised their chances for survival in the wild. 

Bobcats simply aren’t pets — and Mr. Murderbritches is a rather strong-willed reminder of that. 

“When we say wild cats should never be considered pets, maybe this will help you understand why,” WildCat Sanctuary wrote about the video on Facebook. “Especially when you watch how quick and dangerous even a bobcat kitten can be!”

angry bobcat kitten release
Twitter/Utah DWR

Mr. Murderbritches’ newfound Twitter fans seem to have gotten the message loud and clear, too. 

“Get Mr. Murderbritches a Netflix show, a stuffed animal toy line, an animated Pixar movie, a live-action reboot of the original movie, or better yet, leave Mr. Murderbritches alone, because you mess with Murderbritches, you get stitches,” Twitter user Chuck Wendig joked after seeing the bobcat’s video.

Despite the little cat’s best attempts to tear apart the wildlife officer who was trying to help him, the man walked away from the encounter unscathed. Now, the feisty little bobcat is settling into to his new home in the mountains of Utah — where he’s surely set to become king of the forest in a few years.

angry bobcat kitten release
Twitter/Utah DWR

Mr. Murderbritches may be back off in the wild now, but the internet will always remember him as quite possibly the scrappiest kitten to ever live. Stay safe out there, little guy!

If you encounter a bobcat kitten who appears to be orphaned, contact your local wildlife authorities immediately and do not touch the animal. To find a wildlife expert near you, consult this list.