bobcats in the United States

These beautiful cats are members of the lynx family and are recognizable for their short bobtails, often just two inches (5 cm) long, which have black fur on top and a white underside.

There are plenty of bobcats throughout the United States, southern Canada, and Mexico, so they are not endangered, but it is still unusual to see them. This is partly because people are just not used to spotting them. Bobcats, like many other members of the cat family, like to use human paths and trails to avoid long grasses and irritants, such as ticks. Several times a bobcat will hear someone coming along a path and flatten down at the side of the path while the person walks past, often just ten feet (3 m) away, unaware.

Like all cats, they are carnivorous, eating rabbits, birds, lizards, snakes, carrion, and — as we discovered — gophers

Bobcats are elusive and nocturnal, so they are rarely spotted by humans. Although they are seldom seen, they roam throughout much of North America and adapt well to such diverse habitats as forests, swamps, deserts, and even suburban areas.

Bobcats, sometimes called wildcats, are roughly twice as big as the average housecat. They have long legs, large paws, and tufted ears similar to those of their larger relative, the Canada lynx. Most bobcats are brown or brownish red with a white underbelly and short, black-tipped tail. The cat is named for its tail, which appears to be cut or "bobbed."

Fierce hunters, bobcats can kill prey much bigger than themselves, but usually eat rabbits, birds, mice, squirrels, and other smaller game. The bobcat hunts by stealth, but delivers a deathblow with a leaping pounce that can cover 10 feet (3 meters).