BOBCAT

also called Bay Lynx, or Wildcat (Felis rufa), bobtailed North American cat, family Felidae, found from southern Canada to southern Mexico. The bobcat is a close relative of the lynx and caracal, with which it was formerly classified in the genus Lynx. A long-legged cat with large paws, a rather short body, and tufted ears, the bobcat is 60100 centimetres (2440 inches) long, excluding the 1020-cm tail; stands 5060 cm at the shoulder; and weighs 715 kilograms (1533 pounds). Its fur, stiffer and less valuable than that of the lynx, is pale brown to reddish with black spots. The underparts are white; the tailtip is black above, white below. Sometimes found in suburban areas, the bobcat is a nocturnal, generally solitary cat equally at home in forests and deserts; it is less inclined than the lynx to climb trees or swim. It feeds on rodents, rabbits, hares, and some birds. Breeding takes place in spring (sometimes a second time later in the year); a litter of one to six kittens is born after a gestation period of about 50 days. Economically, the bobcat is of some value as a fur bearer and is important in keeping the numbers of rodents and rabbits under control.