- Author: Kathy Low
I used to only worry about encountering a coyote or rattlesnake when I stepped out my front door. But on June 16th, a neighbor wrote a post about a bobcat they've been seeing on their property on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pg/WilkinsonAcres/posts/. Now I have to worry about encountering a bobcat.
Bobcats (Lynx rufus and Lynx fasciatus) are surprisingly not uncommon in Solano County. Native to North America, they can adapt to a wide variety of habitats and can be found from Southern Canada down to Southern Mexico. They vary in size ranging from one and a half to two feet tall at their shoulders and weigh from nine to about thirty-three pounds. Known for their short bobbed tails, they are very adaptable to a wide variety of habitats. Although they prefer woodlands and forested areas, they can be found in swamps, mountains, desert areas, and near agricultural areas. They feed on rabbits, squirrels, rats, gophers, moles, opossums, and other rodents. They can run up to 30 miles per hour. They can also kill larger animals such as wild turkeys, sheep, and lambs by biting their throats. They can also leap into the air to catch and consume low-flying birds.
Larger animals killed by bobcats can be distinguished from those killed by coyotes by the claw marks left of their backs or shoulders. They also start feeding on their large kills by opening an area just behind the ribs and start feeding on the viscera.
Bobcat tracks are about two to three inches wide and resemble those of a large house cat. Their walking stride between tracks is about seven inches. Its hind legs are proportionately longer than its front legs than those of a house cat.
Predators of bobcats include coyotes, foxes, and humans. The good news is that bobcats, like coyotes, are often frightened away by loud noises.