There’s something special about bobcats. Maybe it’s their wildcat heritage or their curious nature, but there’s no doubt that these cats are fascinating creatures! In this article, we will share some interesting Bobcat facts with you.
Are you a cat lover?
If yes, then you must love all other members of the cat family. Along with the giant cats like lions and tigers, we also have smaller species. Obviously, you won’t like a big cat in your backyard.
But how about a smaller one?
For example, you will see a fascinating species in the North American landscapes called Bobcat.
Don’t let the name mislead you. These might look cuddly and super adorable. But actually, these are dangerous carnivores and are spotted to take down bigger animals.
So, this article is intended to let you know about the Bobcat facts. Without any further ado, let us get started.
16 Bobcat Facts:
1. This fascinating mammal is native to North America. The animal looks more or less like a cat. However, you may actually distinguish it from housecats due to its tail and size.
2. Ever thought about why bobcats are called bobcats? These animals have a beautiful tail that differentiates them from the other similar cat family members. They have Bobbed tails or short shrubby tails. Hence, the name is derived from that.
3. Bobcats look super cute, and they are curious by nature, just like house cats. However, they are not that social while around people. They’ll run away if they get near a locality or someplace where humans are nearby.
4. Bobcats are perfectly said to be the bigger versions of house cats. They generally have black, gray, or reddish-brown fur and a short fluffy tail. Like house cats, they also do not show their claws. It is hidden under their padded paws.
No matter what the color of the coat is, bobcats always have that unique spotted pattern on them. Also, you can see some black bar-like stripes on their forelegs.
5. Bobcats are usually nocturnal animals. But they are most active at dawn and dusk. These animals are carnivorous predators. Their meal consists of chicken, rodents, duck, young deer, squirrel, rabbits, hares, and other smaller animals.
The meal choice changes according to the habitat, plentitude, and season.
6. These animals are perfect predators. One of the features that make them excellent is their impeccable hearing ability and sense of sight. This is why bobcats can sneak around and hide in the bushes soundlessly. Also, they can spot their prey from quite a reasonable distance. Also, their sharp sense of smell makes them identify their prey quickly.
7. An adult Bobcat can be 80 cm long on an average note. The tail of the Bobcat is generally measured between 9 to 20 cm.
An adult male bobcat can be 6.4 to 18.3 kg, and an adult female can be 4 to 15.3 kg. But usually, the male ones are measured at about 9.5 kg and females at 6.8 kg.
8. The largest Bobcat in the world was found in Northern New England and Eastern Canada. The species weighed about 60 pounds or 27 kg!
9. Bobcats have an average lifespan of ten to twelve years. The longest wild living bobcat was recorded to have a lifespan of sixteen years. However, the oldest Bobcat in captivity was recorded to live for thirty-two years.
10. Bobcats are pretty good runners. They can reach the speed of thirty miles per hour. However, they love to walk or sneak in while hunting.
Bobcats can climb quickly. Another feature that makes them unique is their swimming ability. These animals are excellent swimmers.
11. Since Bobcats are nocturnal animals, they do not roam during the day. In the daytime, they sleep in their main caves or dens. These dens can be rock caves or hollow logs of big trees.
These mammals are territorial in nature. Hence, they mark their area with their specific scent to warn other cats to back off!
12. Along with running and swimming, bobcats are also known for their remarkable jumping capacity. These predatory animals can clear a height or distance of twelve feet in a single leap. This jumping expertise helps them leap off narrow water bodies.
One of these jumping videos went viral in 2020 in Louisiana. The doc was partially broken, and a bobcat was spotted jumping a considerable distance over it.
13. The breeding season of the bobcats lasts from winter to the early spring. Most of the matings happen between February and March. Bobcats usually spend their time alone. However, during mating season, the case is different.
A fertile adult male travels with his female partner and mates with her several times. During the courtship period, a bobcat may showcase hissing and screaming sounds.
14. A mum Bobcat can give birth to 1-6 kittens. These baby cats are blind and can not open their eyes. Initially, they survive with their mother’s milk.
At the age of five months, these babies learn to hunt. In their eighth or tenth month, they leave the mother’s den and live life independently.
15. Bobcats are spotted to capture animals larger than them. However, these animals can not finish a whole prey in one meal. Hence, they tend to bury the half-eaten prey with snow, leaves, and many other things.
Later, bobcats are known to return to enjoy their hidden meal periodically. The North American mountain lions are also seen to show this hiding tendency. This habit is called caching.
Sometimes, other flesh-eating carnivores attack the Bobcat’s secret stash and eat them up.
16. The Great Smoky Mountains Association gifted 30th US president Calvin Coolidge a Tennessee Bobcat. The Bobcat stayed for quite a few days in the Whitehouse. Afterward, Coolidge handed it over to a zoo.
Conclusion:
This world is filled with flora and fauna. Mother nature never fails to surprise us with her beautiful creations. One of them is a Bobcat.
These animals are indeed attractive. According to the IUCN Red List, bobcats are the least concerned animal as per the 2002 report. There are almost 725,000 to 1,020,000 bobcats in the wild presently. This abundance has made them the least endangered.
Hope you loved reading about Bobcat facts in the article.