Bobcat is a North American wild cat named for its short tail, which resembles a bob, or knob. A bobcat’s fur varies in color from tan to reddish-brown and has spots. The animal has pointed, tufted ears and a ruff of fur on the sides of its face. Adults commonly measure from 24 to 45 inches (60 to 114 centimeters) long. Males are heavily built and weigh from 20 to 30 pounds (9 to 14 kilograms). Females weigh from 13 to 20 pounds (6 to 9 kilograms). Bobcats in northern North America tend to grow larger than other bobcats. Bobcats are a kind of lynx.
The bobcat ranks as North America’s most common wild cat, ranging from southern Canada to Mexico. It can live in deserts, forests, mountains, and swamps. Though more tolerant of people than many other wild cats, bobcats tend to avoid large cultivated areas. Females are more territorial than males. Both sexes mark their territory with urine or other body wastes and secretions.
Bobcats are active at twilight and through the night. Their diet consists primarily of rabbits, but they also eat birds, rodents, and occasionally young deer.
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Bobcats mate in late winter or early spring. Females make dens under logs, in thickets, or in hollow trees. They normally give birth to 2 to 3 kittens at a time. The young remain with their mother 9 to 12 months before becoming independent. Bobcats live 12 to 13 years in the wild and up to twice that in captivity.
People trap bobcats for their pelts. However, hunting and trade of the bobcat is regulated, and the species is protected in some parts of its range.
