Bobcat
Lynx rufus

The bobcat is a wild cat that is brownish with dark spots and stripes. It lives mostly in forested and mountainous areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

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A bobcat (Lynx rufus) resides at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Va., on Dec. 30, 2018. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to requests@chesapeakebay.net. Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image. A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.

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Appearance

Bobcats have mottled reddish- or grayish-brown fur with dark spots and stripes. They have short tufts on their ears and ruffs of hair that look like sideburns on the sides of their head. Their short tails are five to six inches in length and end in a black tip. Bobcats grow 25 to 40 inches in length and weigh 25 to 35 pounds.

Feeding

A bobcat will eat nearly any bird, mammal, reptile or other small animal available. Mice, hares, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons and small white-tailed deer are all common prey. It uses its excellent hearing and vision to hunt during dusk and after nightfall.

Predators

Foxes, coyotes and large owls prey upon bobcat kittens. Humans are the only major threat to adult bobcats.

Voice

Bobcats rarely meow like domestic cats, but chortle and emit birdlike chirps. During mating season, their vocalizations resemble that of a screaming domestic alley cat.

Reproduction and life cycle

Mating usually occurs between January and March. This is the only time males and females interact; after mating, they return to their separate territories. About 65 days after mating, females give birth to a litter of two to six kittens that she usually cares for by herself in a secluded den. Kittens venture from the den after about five weeks. By nine months old, kittens begin to establish their own territories, although they may remain near their mother until the following spring. Females reach sexual maturity after one year, while males mature after two years. Bobcats can live as long as 15 years in the wild.

Did you know?

  • Bobcats are very territorial and mark home ranges with urine and feces. A female’s home range rarely overlaps with other females’ home ranges, while a male’s territory may overlap with other females’ ranges.
  • The bobcat is also known as a red lynx or bay lynx. It gets its name from its short, bobbed tail.
  • Bobcats are the most widely distributed native cat in North America.
  • Bobcats are very solitary and avoid highly developed areas or areas with dense human populations. They are also mostly nocturnal and remain hidden during the day.

Sources and additional information

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