The bobcat is a special predator. During the reproductive period, the male even helps to raise the brood. Get over that in the ‘cat world’. Yet he is not as social as the above suggests. Essentially, the North American bobcat is an inveterate lone wolf, a ‘lone cowboy’, a solitary rarely seen unless very hungry. In America, the bobcat is called the bobcat because of its strikingly short tail, as if it were docked. The bobcat is a twilight animal and not choosy about its prey menu, which also includes the house cat. This lynx is native to all of North America and is kept as a pet by some ‘intrepid people’. You have to be careful, because these cats can become dangerously boisterous in their playfulness.
Rocky Mountains
Content
- The bobcat ?? excellent camouflage
- Habitat and distribution of the bobcat
- Hunter and scavenger
- Cougars and coyotes
- Reproduction
- Territory of the bobcat
- Important features of the bobcat
- Bobcat ?? a suitable pet?
The bobcat ?? excellent camouflage
Few small animals on the North American continent are safe from the bobcat (Lynx rufus). This relentless predator Preferably hunts at night and catches what he can get, from mice to rabbits and raccoons. The bobcat belongs to the order of the Carnivora (predators) and the family of the Felidae (felines). It is smaller than a common lynx and has a reddish-brown coat with a black striped and spotted pattern. The belly coat is white. This makes its camouflage optimal. The bobcat is shy, it seldom shows itself, probably also because sports and trappers in the American wilderness are more than happy to see it.
The bobcat is practically everywhere on the North American continent. From southern Canada to deep in Mexico. Only in the far north does he fail. His adaptability is phenomenal and his habitat can range from mountainous regions, vast coniferous and deciduous forests to the western prairies and other wastelands.
Shrubbery
It can even be found in the southern subtropical swamps of, for example, Louisiana. In the mountainous regions, such as the Rocky Mountains, it has been spotted up to 3500 meters. However, he likes to seek cover during the hunt, in accordance with his hunting technique, so he prefers areas with a lot of low bushes.
Hunter and scavenger
Most of the bobcat’s prey menu is made up of hares, rabbits and small rodents, such as shrews and squirrels. But skunks, opossums and foxes are not safe from him either. Even the ordinary house cat must be careful when he crosses his path. If given the chance, this lynx will certainly try to catch a sheep, a wandering goat, or even a white-tailed deer. Even the rattlesnake does not inspire him much awe when he is hungry.
Not picky
Cows and horses are a bit too big for him, otherwise he would certainly give it a try. So when it comes to hunting he can be called ‘bloodthirsty’ and by no means picky. He is not even averse to grass and fruit, if there is no other way. Naturally a carnivore, the bobcat will also resort to food shortages bait.
Cougars and coyotes
The lynx is more than twice the size of a house cat. With its reddish brown spotted and striped fur, it hunts prey well camouflaged from ambush. At dusk and at night, he waits behind a fallen tree trunk, in thickets or from a high lookout / hideout until something of his liking passes by, after which noiseless sneaks over, pounces on the victim and then bites him in the throat or neck until death follows. During the day, the bobcat prefers to rest in, for example, a hollow tree or a rock crevice. However, that does not mean that the bobcat has no natural predators. The cougar and the coyote are actively looking for him.
It is late winter reproductive season of the bobcat (February and March). In some areas this period is somewhat later. However, according to spotters, they can also be in heat in other seasons. Generally, the young are born in early spring (April, May) after a gestation period of about two months. The litter consists of an average of two to four little ones. The further south the bobcat is, the more litters the females can get each year. The initially blind pups open their eyes after about a week and receive breast milk for eight to ten weeks.
Hunting instinct
From the moment the youngsters are ready to lay down food the male comes back into view and hunts for them. That is a busy period for him. A time when he? hunting prey for his offspring ?? easier to see. Sometimes the males have to give up three litters from different females, depending on the territorial overlap. During that period, the ‘families’ also acquired nomadic features. After less than six months, the young start hunting themselves, with the help of the mother who stimulates their hunting instinct. From that moment on, the male becomes solitary again and limits himself to his own territory.
Territory of the bobcat
Males have one territory of more than 100 km², or twice the area where the female is in charge. However, the territories overlap and are marked with urine and feces. The male is also known to mate with all females whose territories overlap his.
Important features of the bobcat
The data listed below may vary by climatic region, such as the warm south or the far north.
- Length: 50-90 cm; tail: 10-18 cm.
- Weight: 6-12 kg.
- Height: 50-60 cm.
- Living area: Virtually the entire North American continent, from Canada to Mexico.
- Life expectancy: About 30 years.
- Behaviour: Solitary, night fighter. It also hunts during the day when there are little ones.
- Food: Carnivore; from rabbits to deer. In harsh times, however, it also eats fruit and carrion.
- Reproduction: Late winter; gestation period approx. 60 days; 2-5 youngsters.
The bobcat may not be kept as a pet in the Netherlands. That is laid down by law. Different rules apply in other countries, such as the United States. As a pet, the bobcat can become dangerously boisterous in its playfulness and responsive behavior hunting instinct completely different from the ordinary house cat. So you always have to be careful.
House cat
The Mexican subspecies of the bobcat (Lynx rufus escuinapae) is virtually extinct. More than 30 other small cats are known around the world. The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is related to the bobcat in the sense that they both belong to the subfamily of the little cats (Felinae) belong.