Learn about bobcats | Mass.gov

The bobcat is a medium-sized feline, approximately twice the size of a domestic house cat. It can be easily identified by its short, “bobbed” tail (up to 12 ... AnofficialwebsiteoftheCommonwealthofMassachusetts Here'showyouknow Officialwebsitesuse.mass.gov A.mass.govwebsitebelongstoanofficialgovernmentorganizationinMassachusetts. SecurewebsitesuseHTTPScertificate Alockicon( )orhttps://meansyou’vesafelyconnectedtotheofficialwebsite.Sharesensitiveinformationonlyonofficial,securewebsites. Thispage,Learnaboutbobcats,is partof LearnaboutWildlife showmore Thispage,Learnaboutbobcats,is offeredby DivisionofFisheriesandWildlife showmore Learnaboutbobcats Bobcatscanliveinavarietyofhabitats,includingresidentialareas.Learnaboutthesebeautifulandelusivepredatorsandgettipsifyouarehavingproblemswithbobcatsinyourneighborhood. BobcatsinMassachusetts ThebobcatistheonlywildcatnowfoundinMassachusetts.Bobcatsarecommoninthecentralandwesternpartsofthestate,presentinthenortheast,andexpandingintothesoutheast. Description Thebobcatisamedium-sizedfeline,approximatelytwicethesizeofadomestichousecat.Itcanbeeasilyidentifiedbyitsshort,“bobbed”tail(upto12inches),prominentfaceruff,andslightlytuftedears.Itscoatofshort,densefurcanvaryfromayellowishtoreddishbrownwithdistinctorfaintblackspotsalongitsflanksandwhiteunderpartsthatarealsospottedwithblack.Insummer,thefurtendstobeshorterandmorereddishincolor,becominglongerandmuchpalerinthewinter,althoughtherecanbemuchvariationincoloramongindividuals.Adultbobcatsweigh15–35poundsandmeasure28–47inchesinlength.Sizevariesdependingonsex,asmalebobcatsareapproximately33%largerthantheirfemalecounterparts. LifeHistory BobcatsbreedfromFebruarythroughMarch.Theyarepolygamousanddonotformlastingpairbonds.Theyoungarebornaftera62-daygestationperiodinAprilorMay.Femalesproduceonelittereachyearconsistingof1–4kittens,withanaveragelittersizeof2.Thefemaleistheexclusiveproviderandthemaledoesnotparticipateinraisingtheyoung.Atbirth,thekittensareblindandhelplessbuthaveathickcoatofspottedfur.Thekittensareborninadenlinedwithdriedgrass,leaves,moss,andothersoftvegetationthatthefemalescrapesintotheden.Densarelocatedinrockcrevices,underrockyledges,incaves,inbrushpiles,orinhollowtrees,stumps,orlogs.Femalesmayusethesamedensitesforseveralyearsinarow.Thefemalenursesthekittensuntiltheyreachtwomonthsofage.Atonemonthofage,theyoungbegintakingsolidfoodandventuringfromtheden.Theyoungremainwiththeadultfemaleuntiltheyarefullgrown,usuallythroughtheirfirstfallorwinter.Femalesreachsexualmaturityatoneyearofage,althoughtheydonottypicallyproducetheirfirstlitteruntiltwoyearsofage.Malesdonotreachsexualmaturityuntiltwoyearsofage.Bobcatsliveanaverageoftwelveyearsinthewildandfemalescontinuetoproduceonelitterperyearuntildeath.Althoughsomeyoungfallpreytoowls,coyotes,andadultmalebobcats,foodabundanceistheprimaryfactoraffectingthesurvivalofbothkittensandjuvenilebobcats.BobcatsareanimportantnaturalresourceinMassachusetts.Theyareclassifiedasafurbearerspecies,forwhichamanagementprogramandregulatedhuntingandtrappingseasonshavebeenestablished. Food,habits,andhabitat Ascarnivores,bobcatsmostcommonlypreyonmedium-sizedanimalssuchasrabbitsandharesbutwilleatmice,squirrels,skunks,opossums,muskrats,birds,andsnakes.Occasionallybobcatswillpreyonlargeranimalssuchasdeerbutthisisgenerallywhenotherfooditemsarescarce.Onlysick,injured,youngorveryoldlargeanimalsarelikelytobekilled.Bobcatshuntbystalkingpreyuntiltheyarecloseenoughtopounce.Theymayalsowaitonatrailorinatreetoambushpreyorrundownpreyovershortdistances.Althoughbobcatshaveafairlygoodsenseofsmell,theyrelyprimarilyontheirkeeneyesightandhearingtodetectbothpreyanddanger.Whenfoodisplentiful,theywillcachetheexcessbycoveringitwithleaves,grass,orsnowandreturntofeedonitrepeatedly.Bobcatsareshy,solitary,andgenerallyelusive.Whileusuallysilent,bobcatscanproducealargerepertoireofnoises.Abobcatmayscowl,snarl,andspitwhenconfrontedwithdangerandmaybeheardscreamingduringthebreedingseason.Bobcatsmaintainwell-definedhomerangesthatvaryinsizedependingonpreyabundance,season,andclimate.Malesmaintainlargerhomerangesthanfemalesandindividualscantraveluptofourmilesdaily.Bothsexesusescentmarkingtomarktrailsanddensites.Theiruseofscentisthoughttohelpindividualsavoiddirectcontactwitheachotherastheytravelwithintheirhomeranges.Bobcatscanbeactivedayornightbuttendtoexhibitcrepuscular(dawnanddusk)activity.Theiractivitypeaksthreehoursbeforesunsetuntilmidnightandagainbetweenonehourbeforeandfourhoursaftersunrise.Theyremainactiveyearroundanddonothibernate.Bobcatsareproficientclimbersandwillclimbtreestorest,chaseprey,orescapefrompredators(chieflydomesticdogs).Likedomesticcats,bobcatstrytoavoidwaterwheneverpossiblebutwhenforcedtofleetowater,theycanswimquitewell. Tipsforresidents Bobcatsarewell-adaptedtoavarietyofhabitats,suchasmountainousareaswithrockyledges,hardwoodforests,swamps,bogs,andbrushyareasnearfields.Bobcatsdealwithhumaninfluencesbuttendtoavoidareaswithextensiveagriculturallyclearedlandsthateliminateotherhabitattypes.Bobcatsareadaptingtosuburbansettingsandmaybeseeninbackyardsandresidentialareas.Bobcatsrarelycauseconflictswithhumanactivities. Tracks Bobcattracksmaysometimesbeconfusedwiththetracksofdomestichousecatsalthoughadultbobcatprintsarelargerthanahousecat.Bobcattrackshavefourtoesinthefrontandbackalthoughthefrontfootactuallyhasfivetoes.Thefifthtoeisraisedhighontheforefeetsoitdoesnotleaveanimpressionwhenitwalks.Theclawsalsodonotleaveanimpression,astheyareusuallyretracted. Protectlivestockandchickens Bobcatsmaypreyonsmalllivestockandchickens.Avoidpasturinganimalsorplacingcoopsinremoteareasorinareasnearheavilywoodedcover.Penlivestockinornearabarnatnight.Keepchickenswithinsecurepensorcoops.Electricfencingmaybeusedasadeterrent. Misidentification BobcatsaretheonlywildcatinMassachusetts.Learnmoreaboutmountainlions. Ifyouareexperiencingproblemswithbobcatsorhavequestions,contactyournearestMasswildlifeoffice. AdditionalResources for Openfilefor ArethereMountainLionsinMassachusetts? OpenPDFfile,895.81KB,for Livingwithbobcatsfactsheet (PDF895.81KB) Contact MassWildlife Phone CallMassWildlifeat(508)389-6300 OpenM–F,8a.m.–4p.m.(closednoon–12:30forlunch) Online email [email protected] websites MassWildlifeHomepage  MassWildlifeFacebook  MassWildlifeInstagram  Related Learnaboutwildlife  Problemswithwildlife  DivisionofFisheriesandWildlife  Feedback Didyoufindwhatyouwerelookingforonthiswebpage? *required Yes No Doyouhaveanythingelsetotellus? Pleasetelluswhatyouwerelookingfor.*required Wewillusethisinformationtoimprovethesite. Donotincludesensitiveinformation,suchasSocialSecurityorbankaccountnumbers. Yourfeedbackwillnotreceivearesponse. Why? Thisformonlygathersfeedbackaboutthewebsite. 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