A Bobcat is a wild feline with yellowish or reddish brown fur and a white belly. Black spots or streaks run throughout the Bobcat's coat. The bobcat has tufted ears, large tufts of fur on its cheeks, long legs, and a short "bobbed" tail, which gives the cat its name.
Bobcats are roughly twice as big as the average house cat, weighing between 11 and 30 pounds (5-14 kg). They measure between 26 and 41 inches (66-104 cm) in length. Males are slightly larger than females.
Bobcats are expert predators which have several adaptations that help them to catch their prey.
- Bobcats' long legs allow them to be excellent climbers.
- The Bobcat's spotted coat provides excellent camouflage, allowing the animal to hide from its prey until it is ready to pounce.
- Bobcats have razor-sharp claws which can be retracted into the paw pads to keep them from dulling when not being used for pouncing, climbing, or self-defense.
- A Bobcat's sharp pointed teeth are able to rip and tear meat into small pieces.
Bobcats are carnivores (meat-eaters) which have the ability to kill prey that is much larger than themselves, including deer. Their normal diet consists of smaller animals such as squirrels, rabbits, mice, voles, and birds.
Bobcats breed from January through June, with most breeding occurring in February and March. Females raise their young in a den. A litter consists of between one and six kittens (average 2-3), which are born after a 60 day gestation. The kittens' eyes open when they are 9-11 days old, and they live with their mother for 9-12 months before leaving the den to hunt on their own.
Shelter and Space Needs
Bobcats seem to prefer forested areas with lots of vegetation but can live in many different types of habitats, such as swamps, mountainous areas and deserts. They are nocturnal and generally solitary.
A bobcat can live 10-12 years in the wild.
Relationship With Man
Bobcats were common throughout Illinois when European settlers arrived, but their numbers then decreased dramatically due to hunting and loss of habitat. By 1977, the Bobcat's population had declined so much that it was designated a threatened species by the state of Illinois. Because of its protected status which led to habitat restoration and a moratorium on hunting, the Illinois Bobcat population began increasing during the 1990s and in 1999 Bobcats were removed from the threatened species list. Bobcats are now found throughout the state, although they are most common in southern Illinois. Because they are nocturnal and prefer remote areas, Bobcats have relatively few interactions with humans.
- Bobcats are found only in North America.
- A Bobcat can take down an animal that is eight times its own weight.
- Bobcats are generally quiet, but when they do make noise, it is often said to sound like a woman's scream! They can also make a variety of other vocalizations, including grunts, yowls, and roars!