Physical Description
The bobcat'sfur is buff to brown, sometimes with a reddish tinge, andmarked with spots or stripes of brown and black. The fur on its undersides islighter in color. Bobcats have facial ruffs, ear tufts, white spots near the tips of their ears and bobbed tails.
Bobcats are often confused with the other three "lynx" species, the Canadian lynx, Iberian lynx and Eurasian lynx.Each lynx hascharacteristic facial ruffs and ear tufts, and a shorter tailthan other cats. Bobcats are slightly smaller than other lynx and live in warmer climates at lower latitudes. The other lynx species occupy cold, northern latitudes where snow lies deep for much of the year and temperatures can reach lows of -70 degreesFahrenheit(-57 degrees Celsius). Their footpads are well protected with a dense covering of fur, while the bobcat's footpads are bare. They also have shorter tails and longer legs for traveling through deep snow,where the bobcat is at a disadvantage.
The bobcat's black-spotted, brown coat blends in well with therocks, brush and other dense vegetation where it hunts its main prey: the cottontail rabbit. Other lynx species have plain, brown-gray coats thatprovide camouflage in the mossyconiferous forests and swamps where theystalk their primary prey:the snowshoe hare. The densecover where these lynxlive may make sound more important than sight while hunting. Their ear tufts are thought to improve hearing and are longer than those of the bobcat.
The backs of a bobcat'sears are marked with two white spots, which a female's kittens probably follow in dim light. Another useful adaptation is the white underside of the bobcat's bobbed tail. Ifkittens fall too far behind their mother, the mother stops and softly calls to them while raising her tail to reveal the white patch below.
Size
Bobcats vary in size along their continental range, with larger animals foundin the north and smaller animals in the south. They are generally 1.5-2 feet (46-64 centimeters) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 9 and 33 pounds (4 and 15 kilograms).
Native Habitat
The majority of the world's bobcats are found in the United States, but they range from Mexico to southern Canada. Bobcats are very adaptable and can live in a wide variety of habitats, including boreal coniferous and mixed forests in the north, bottomland hardwood forests and coastal swamps in the southeast, and desert and scrublands in the southwest.
Lifespan
Most bobcats live between five and 15 years in the wild. The median life expectancy of a bobcat in human care is about 18 years.
Communication
Bobcats communicate through scent, visual signalsand vocalizations. The scent markby urinating along travel routes, depositing feces in latrine sitesand scraping urine and feces along trails. These marks can also indicate that a specific den is being used by a female and her kittens, signalthat a female is receptive to mating, or delineatea home range.
They use body postures and facial expressions asclose-range signals to warn off intruders. Bobcatsrarely mew like domestic catsbut will chortle and make birdlike chirps. During mating season, their vocalizations resemble that of a screaming domestic alley cat. North American bobcats primarily use scent marking and visual signals to mark their territory. They rarely use sound to deter other bobcats and instead rely on urine, feces and anal gland secretions, as well as marking scrapes in the ground.
Food/Eating Habits
Bobcats mostly eat rabbits and hares. They may also eat rodents, such as squirrels and mice, or hunt small deer, snakes, lizards and domestic animals, such as dogs, cats, sheep, goats and poultry. They can evenleap high enough to catch low-flying birds.
Bobcatsare excellent climbers and can run up to 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour).They stalk their prey with unparalleled patience, and often travel 2 to 7 miles (3 to 11 kilometers) in an evening whilehunting and patrolling their territory.They will place their back feet in the same spots where their front feet have stepped to reduce noise when hunting.
At the Zoo, bobcats eat a prepared meat diet, mice, rats, chicks and bones.
Sleep Habits
Bobcats may be active during all hours of the day and night, but studies have consistently found that they are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk).
Social Structure
Bobcats are solitary and territorial animals. The home range of a male bobcat overlaps that of several females, and males will mate with more than one female. Bobcats have a sophisticated form of land tenure and usually respect each other's territory.They mark their specific territories to minimize confrontations with other bobcats.
Reproduction and Development
The bobcat's mating season is primarily in the winter, though mating can take place from November throughAugust. Gestation is about 60-70 days, with an average of 62 days, and there are usually two to four kittens per litter. Bobcats den in places protected from the weather, which can range fromhollow trees andcaves to spacesunder dense shrubs orbetween boulders.
The female lines the den with moss and foliage, and the kittens are typically born in the spring. Once the kittens are born, the female drives the male away, but the male will stay in the area. The female nurses the kittens for two months. They travel with her for three to five months before separating from her for the winter mating season. Females are sexually mature and mate after one year, but males do not mate until they are 2 years old.
