# Bobcat — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777)*

> 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.

**IUCN status:** Least Concern (IUCN, 2016)  ·  **WARN range:** United States, Southern Canada, Northern Mexico

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| 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
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Carnivora
- **Family:** Felidae
- **Genus:** Lynx
- **Species:** Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777)

## Conservation status
- **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.

## Related WARN guides
Bobcats are mid-sized North American felids — read WARN's cougar guide for the larger puma, lynx page for tufted relatives, and ocelot guide for spotted tropical cats.

Fox and wolf pages cover other carnivores sharing suburban edges.

Legal protection and fur-trade bans underpin bobcat recovery.

## 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.

## Frequently asked questions: Bobcat
### 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.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Lynx rufus](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12521/121707666)
- [CITES — Checklist of CITES Species](https://checklist.cites.org/)
- [National Wildlife Federation — bobcat](https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Bobcat)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bobcat