When Is the Right Time to Choose a Bobcat?

The bobcat, with its fluffy cheeks, pointy ear tufts, and short tail, is the most common wild cat in North America. There are millions of bobcats ranging from Mexico to southern Canada. But you may have trouble spotting one because these cats are elusive, solitary, and most active at night.

Bobcats are often confused with other types of lynxes (Canadian lynx, Iberian lynx and Eurasian lynx). But bobcats are the smallest of the lynxes, measuring 65-105 cm (25-42 in.) long and weighing between 4-15 kg (9-33 lb.).

They also differ from other lynxes because they have black spots on reddish-brown fur, shorter ear tufts, and their footpads are bare. Other lynxes have plain gray coats and broader hairy feet that act like snowshoes.

Bobcats are excellent jumpers, pouncing on their prey and killing them with one bite. In fact, bobcats can jump as high as 3 m (10 ft.) and as far as 3.5 m

They are also skilled at climbing trees and rocky ledges. In addition, they’re fast runners, reaching speeds of 48 km/hr (30 mph). Bobcats can even swim well too!

Bobcats live in forests, coastal swamps, deserts and scrublands. Hunting from dusk to dawn, bobcats have excellent night vision and a good sense of smell. They roam 3-11 km (2-7 mi) per night in their territories.

When they walk, bobcats place their back feet in the same tracks as their front feet in order to reduce noise. They mark their territories by spraying urine and leaving feces.

Female bobcats have territories that span 13 sq. km (5 sq. mi.) while male bobcat territories span 78 sq. km (30 sq. mi.). A male bobcat’s territory may overlap with several female bobcat territories, but female bobcats will not overlap territories with each other.

Bobcats sleep in dens. Usually they have several dens in their territory, which they make in caves, rock shelters, or tree hollows. They spray urine at the entrances to discourage intruders.

In addition to scent marking, bobcats also communicate by chortling and chirping. During the mating season, which is late February to late March, they let out high-pitched screams in order to find mates.

What Bobcats Eat
For the most part, bobcats prey upon cottontail rabbits and hares, but they also eat squirrels, mice, snakes, lizards, dogs, cats, sheep, poultry, and even small deer.