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Closeup of bobcat © Harvey Payne

The bobcat and lynx have similar markings, but the lynx is much larger.

Predatory Cat with a Striking Resemblance to the Household Cat

The most common wildcat in North America, the solitary bobcat—so named because of its short black, white-tipped tail—weighs up to 20 pounds, can reach nearly two feet in length, and heights of 2 - 3.5 feet. Despite a resemblance to the household cat, the bobcat is a fierce predator. Preferring rabbits to anything else, it will also prey on rodents, birds, raccoons, foxes, and even adult deer and domestic cats if that’s what is available.

The bobcat and the lynx have very similar markings. The easiest way to tell them apart is by size, the lynx being much larger than the bobcat.

The North American bobcat lives in all kinds of habitats, from the forests of New Jersey to the brush on the arid mountainsides of California; however, its preferred habitat is of the latter type. Bobcats do stay away from metropolitan areas, but if there’s a ranch or a farm nearby, the bobcat is likely to view the farm animals as food.