The bobcat is a native North American animal. It looks like a domestic house cat in many ways, but the most obvious difference is its bobbed tail. Adult bobcats are about 4 feet long from nose to the tip of its tail.
Bobcats are not often seen during daylight hours. They love being out hunting for food in the twilight zones of dusk and dawn. This does not mean they can't be seen during the day. Very cold days and hunger may cause a bobcat to hunt for food during the day. Bobcats are predatory. They mostly eat small animals, such as rabbits, squirrels, mice and frogs. They also prey on songbirds, geese, ducks and free range chickens.
A friend has allowed me to use this nice photo which he took during our recent very cold weather. An adult male bobcat may have a home range of about 5 square miles. The female's home range is about half as big.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.