THE ANIMAL FILES

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

The short tail is obvious; the patient approach happens out of sight.

The bobcat is a short-tailed North American lynx with spotted fur and short ear tufts. It uses cover to approach prey, then switches to a short rush or pounce rather than a long open chase.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Bobcat
Image: Becker1999 (Paul and Cathy) · Commons · CC BY 2.0
Tail
Short and visibly bobbed[1]
Hunting
Stalk, wait and pounce[1]
Activity
Often concentrated around twilight[1]

A coat with regional variation

The coat ranges from tan to grey-brown with dark markings. Desert animals tend to be paler than those in northern forests. A wide-looking face partly comes from the fur ruff below the ears.[1]

Closing the distance under cover

A bobcat stalks or waits for prey to come close, then rushes or pounces. Rabbits and hares are important in many regions, but rodents and birds also occur. Local prey availability changes the menu.[1]

Timing tracks opportunity

Twilight activity is common, but seasonal shifts occur. In colder periods some bobcats become more active by day as prey activity changes. Describing them as crepuscular does not mean their schedule is fixed every night.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Does a bobcat eat only rabbits?

No. Rabbits and hares can dominate locally, but prey varies by region and includes rodents, birds and other animals.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why note cover when studying an ambush?

Reveal the explanation

Cover affects how closely the cat can approach before starting the short final rush.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Bobcat (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Lynx rufus (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Eurasian lynxA quiet cat leaves tracks before it offers a sighting.Lynx lynx ↗Domestic catQuiet feet, ready claws and light-catching eyes.Felis catus ↗CougarA plain-coated adult begins life as a spotted kitten.Puma concolor ↗