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Wildlife Guide · United States & Southern Canada

Bobcat

Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777)

North America's adaptable mid-sized cat — tufted ears, bobbed tail, widespread success.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2016)
A bobcat with tufted ears and spotted tawny fur crouching in dry scrubland, its short bobbed tail visible behind it.

Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons — verify license before production

In brief

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a medium-sized North American wild cat listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; it is the continent's most widespread and adaptable felid, recognised by its tufted ears, spotted coat and short tail.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

The bobcat is a medium-sized wild cat native to North America, named for its short 'bobbed' tail. It is the most common wild cat on the continent, ranging from southern Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico. Bobcats occupy diverse habitats — boreal forest, desert, swampland and suburban edges — wherever rabbits, rodents and small deer are available. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, bobcat populations are generally stable or increasing, though they are trapped for fur in some states and occasionally killed when mistaken for threats to poultry or pets.

Least Concern

IUCN Red List status (2016 assessment)

~2×

Size of a domestic cat — but far heavier and stronger

12 subspecies

Recognised across North America

Appendix II

CITES listing

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Lynx rufus, CITES — Checklist of CITES Species, National Wildlife Federation — bobcat .

Bobcat: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Bobcat
Weight 6–13 kg (males larger than females)
Tail Short and bobbed — 9–20 cm
Diet Rabbits, rodents, birds, deer fawns
Activity Crepuscular — most active dawn and dusk
Lifespan Up to ~12 years in the wild
CITES Appendix II

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Bobcat
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Felidae
Genus Lynx
Species Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777)

Conservation Status

IUCN Status
Least Concern (IUCN, 2016). Population stable or increasing across most of North America.
Population
Estimated 2–3 million individuals in the United States alone; no precise global count
Trend
Stable or increasing
Assessed
2016
CITES
Appendix II

Key Facts: Bobcat

  • Bobcats are named for their short, bobbed tail — typically 9–20 cm long.
  • They are the most common wild cat in North America, from Canada to Mexico.
  • Tufted ears and spotted fur distinguish them from the larger Canada lynx.
  • Bobcats are generalist hunters, taking rabbits, rodents, birds and deer fawns.
  • They adapt well to fragmented habitat and are occasionally seen near suburbs.
  • Fur trapping and vehicle collisions are the main human-related causes of mortality.

Identification and relatives

Bobcats resemble the Canada lynx but are smaller, with a more variable coat — grey-brown to reddish, marked with dark spots and bars. The tail is short but always visible, unlike the longer tail of a cougar. Ear tufts are present but shorter than in lynx species. Bobcats and Canada lynx overlap in the northern United States and southern Canada; bobcats favour more varied habitat including mixed forest and farmland, while Canada lynx depend heavily on snowshoe hare cycles in boreal forest. Hybridisation between the two species has been documented where ranges meet.

Behaviour and ecology

Bobcats are solitary and territorial. Males patrol ranges of roughly 10–60 km²; females occupy smaller areas and may overlap with several males. They hunt mainly at dawn and dusk, using cover to ambush prey. Rabbits and hares form the bulk of the diet in many regions, supplemented by rodents, birds, reptiles and occasionally white-tailed deer fawns. Bobcats cache uneaten prey under vegetation or snow. Dens are made in hollow logs, rock crevices or dense thickets; females raise litters of one to six kittens, weaning them at about two months.

Bobcats near people

Bobcats are increasingly reported in suburban and exurban areas where woods meet gardens. They rarely threaten people and attacks are virtually unknown. They may take free-ranging poultry or small pets left outdoors unattended, which leads to occasional lethal control. Wildlife agencies generally advise securing livestock, keeping cats indoors at night and appreciating bobcats as natural rodent controllers. Road mortality is a significant source of death, particularly where highways fragment forest corridors.

Conservation and trade

The IUCN lists the bobcat as Least Concern with a stable or increasing population trend across most of its range. Regulated fur trapping occurs in many US states and Canadian provinces; annual harvests are monitored and generally considered sustainable. CITES lists the bobcat on Appendix II, requiring export permits for international trade in skins. Habitat loss and rodenticide exposure through poisoned prey remain local concerns. Overall, the bobcat is a conservation success story among North American carnivores.

What WARN Does

WARN publishes this bobcat guide to help readers understand North America's most common wild cat. Our mission focuses on threatened wildlife in partner countries; bobcats illustrate how adaptable mesopredators can persist when habitat and prey remain available.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

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How does the bobcat compare?

Lynx vs Bobcat →

Bobcat: Frequently Asked Questions

How can you tell a bobcat from a domestic cat?
Bobcats are substantially larger — typically 6–13 kg versus 3–5 kg for most house cats — with longer legs, a short bobbed tail, tufted ears and a spotted or barred coat. They move with a distinctive hunched, stealthy gait.

Are bobcats dangerous to pets?
Bobcats may prey on small pets left outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk. Keeping cats indoors and supervising small dogs in bobcat country reduces risk. Attacks on people are exceptionally rare.

What is the difference between a bobcat and a lynx?
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are smaller and more variable in coat colour, with shorter ear tufts and smaller paws. Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) have longer legs, huge snowshoe-like paws and depend heavily on snowshoe hares in boreal forest.

Where do bobcats live?
Bobcats range across most of the contiguous United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. They occupy forests, deserts, swamps and scrubland, including areas near human settlement.

What do bobcats eat?
Bobcats are carnivorous generalists. Rabbits and hares are primary prey in many areas, along with rodents, birds, reptiles and occasionally deer fawns. Diet shifts with local prey availability.

Are bobcats protected?
Bobcats are Least Concern globally. In the United States, protection varies by state — some allow regulated hunting and trapping, others restrict take. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade in bobcat parts.

How long do bobcats live?
Bobcats live up to roughly 12 years in the wild. They mature slowly for a small cat and remain crepuscular hunters throughout life, most active at dawn and dusk when rabbits and rodents are abundant.

How big is a bobcat?
Bobcats typically weigh 6–13 kg, with males larger than females. They are roughly twice the size of a domestic cat but far heavier and stronger, with a short bobbed tail 9–20 cm long and distinctive tufted ears.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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