Bobcat
Lynx rufus
North America's most common wild cat, a patient, spotted hunter with ear tufts and a short 'bobbed' tail.
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About the Bobcat
Bobcats stand 1.5 to 2 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh 9 to 33 pounds; northern bobcats are bigger than southern ones. They live from southern Canada to Mexico, in forests, swamps, deserts and scrublands. Bobcats mostly eat rabbits and hares, plus rodents, birds, snakes and sometimes small deer. They are most active at dawn and dusk.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Lynx rufus[1]
- Size
- 1.5 to 2 feet tall at the shoulder.[1]
- Weight
- 9 to 33 pounds.[1]
- Lifespan
- Usually 5 to 15 years in the wild; about 18 in human care.[1]
- Diet
- Carnivore. Mostly rabbits and hares, plus rodents, birds, snakes and small deer.[1]
- Habitat
- Forests, swamps, deserts and scrublands.[1]
- Where it lives
- Southern Canada through the United States to Mexico.[1]
- Group life
- Solitary and territorial. Most active at dawn and dusk.[1]
- Babies
- Usually 2 to 4 kittens after a 60- to 70-day pregnancy.[1]
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- ear tuft
- A clump of hair that sticks up from the tip of an ear.
- stalk
- To follow prey quietly and carefully.
- territory
- An area an animal claims and defends.
- crepuscular
- Most active at dawn and dusk.
- least concern
- A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.
See it in person
- Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Claws & Paws PathwaySee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Bobcat.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/bobcat (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Lynx rufus (Bobcat).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12521/50655874 (accessed 2026-10-08)
Facts last checked 2026-10-08.
