Another Cat in the News

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

On Saturday, a bobcat (Felis rufus) was videotaped walking along the freeway in Orange County, California. As a general rule, bobcats are reclusive, nocturnal creatures so the daylight sighting of an adult walking near a busy interstate was very unusual. Law enforcement determined that the cat was not endangering the public and allowed it to leave the area on its own.

We are fortunate in Michigan to have three wild felines: the cougar, the lynx and the bobcat. As you can see from the diagram below, at first glance, it is easy to tell that the three animals belong to the same genus, Felis.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Bobcats are often misidentified with their feline relative, the lynx.  If you are fortunate enough to see a bobcat or lynx out in the wild, here are some of the key distinguishing characteristics to help you identify which cat you have encountered:

·         The bobcat has a longer tail with black coloration on the topside of the tail and white on the underside. The lynx’ tail is shorter (bobbed) with a black tip.

·         The ears of the bobcat are round with short black ear tufts; the lynx’ ears are pointed with long black ear tufts.

·         The lynx’ paws are large and broad; the bobcat’s are also large but narrower.

·         The fur on the bobcat is soft, fine and moderately long. In the summer, the guard fur is shorter and reddish in color transitioning into longer, more grayish fur in the winter. The fur on the upper body is characterized with regular dark spotting and splotches. Lynx’s fur is thick, long and silky. Their under fur is buff brown, the longer guard hair is gray-banded with black tips.

·         In terms of habitat, the bobcat prefers deciduous or mixed deciduous/conifer forests, mountains and deserts. You can often find them moving along streams and rivers. As for lynx, their habitat of preference is conifer forest utilizing dense white cedar swamps. Lynx avoid open fields and clear cut areas.