Bobcat: status, range, size and diet
A small-eared, short-tailed North American cat that thrives from northern forests to desert and suburbs, listed as Least Concern.
Also known as Lynx rufus, wildcat, bay lynx, red lynx
At a glance
| Scientific name | Lynx rufus |
|---|---|
| Group | Medium wild cats |
| Weight | Males about 6-18 kg, females about 4-15 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 48-125 cm, tail 9-20 cm |
| Lifespan in the wild | About 7 years on average, rarely over 10 |
| Known for | A bobbed tail with a black tip, and an ability to live almost anywhere in North America. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2016 |
Where it lives
| Range | Southern Canada through nearly all of the contiguous United States to central Mexico |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Woodland, swamp, desert, scrub, mountains and the edges of farmland and towns |
| Diet | Rabbits and hares first, plus rodents, birds, young deer and occasionally poultry |
Main threats
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- Vehicle collisions
- Rodent poison and disease
- Trapping and hunting
About
The bobcat is the commonest wild cat in North America and about twice the size of a large house cat. It takes its name from the short, bobbed tail, which is barred and has a black tip above and a white underside. The coat ranges from buff to reddish brown in different regions and is usually spotted, and the ears have short tufts and white patches on their backs. The ruff of long fur along the cheeks gives the face a broad look.
The species is a close relative of the Canada lynx. Where the two overlap, the bobcat has smaller feet and a shorter ear tuft and does better on bare ground and in milder climates.
Where it lives and what it eats
Few wild cats are as adaptable. Bobcats live in swamps, deserts, mountains, farm country and the green edges of cities, and they avoid only the largest areas of intensive farmland and treeless open ground. Two subspecies are recognised, one east and one west of the Great Plains.
They hunt alone, mainly at dawn, dusk and night, and rest in rocky crevices, hollow logs and dense brush. Rabbits and hares form the main food, followed by rodents, birds and, in winter, fawns and other young deer. Occasionally they take poultry or small livestock, which brings them into conflict with some farmers.
Threats and conservation
The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, in an assessment completed in 2016, and it is protected under CITES Appendix II. Habitat loss to farming and development, collisions with vehicles, disease and poisoning by rodent control products cause many deaths. In Florida, invasive Burmese pythons have preyed on bobcats and are linked with a steep drop in sightings in the Everglades.
Hunting and trapping are legal and regulated in many US states and in Canada, with seasons and limits set by wildlife agencies. A few states, such as Ohio, Indiana and New Jersey, list the bobcat as endangered within their borders, and Pennsylvania reopened limited seasons in 1999 after a ban that began in 1970. Fur prices rose sharply in the 1970s and 1980s and fell later.
Cats and people
Bobcats are shy and attacks on people are very rare. Rabies is the main health concern, so anyone who sees a bobcat acting oddly, such as appearing unafraid of people or unable to move normally, should keep away and contact local animal control. They sometimes take chickens, and secure coops reduce losses. Bobcats appear in Native American stories and in the folklore of rural America. They are kept in zoos, and raising a wild cat as a pet is illegal in most areas.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026