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Mammals of North America: Bobcat

There are several known species of Lynx, one of which is the bobcat, (Lynx rufus), also called the wildcat in certain regions of the United States. The bobcat is widespread throughout the US, northern Mexico and the southernmost regions of Canada. The Canada lynx is also found in the northern sections of the the United States, throughout Canada and Alaska and is normally larger in size than the bobcat.

The adult bobcat is about the size of a medium-size dog, or twice the size of an average domestic cat, with the male of the species being larger than the female. They have a short, almost bobbed tail and black spots and markings throughout their dense dark brown fur. The fur on their bellies and back of the ears is generally light colored, gray to white.

A USFWS photo of a bobcat.
A bobcat crouches down and stares at the camera.
Credit: Dave Menke/US Fish and Wildlife Service

In late winter to early spring, the females normally give birth to two to four kittens per litter, but have been known to produce as many as six at one time in areas that are abundant with prey. The kittens stay under their mother's care for most of the first year, after which they leave out on their separate ways to mark their own territory. An individual cat travels within its own territory, living an average life span of eight years.

Being a solitary creature, the bobcat prefers to hunt alone. The times when they appear most active are at dusk and dawn. This cat is a climber and spends time in trees looking for unknowing prey to pass underneath. Being a carnivore and small in size, the cat's favorite prey are rabbits and hares. However, if necessary it will eat smaller creatures such as birds, mice, shrews, moles, voles and even insects, and larger animals up to the size of fawns or small deer if its preferred prey is not available.

Predators of bobcats include larger cats, such as pumas, or mountain lions, and coyotes have been known to prey on bobcat kittens. However, humans are the number one predator of bobcats, through hunting and trapping. (Hunting bobcats, in specified seasons, is legal in over half of the United States.)

A USFWS photo of a bobcat at rest.
A snarling bobcat at rest.
US Fish and Wildlife Service

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Genus: Lynx
Species: Lynx rufus