Bobby
the bobcat, shown at left, is made by Aurora World. The large
bobcat at right is from Ganz 
. Check the Gift
Shop to see if there are any Bobcats in stock.
The Bobcat (Lynx rufus) is the most common
wildcat in North America. About the same size as the Lynx, this
cat is on average 40 inches long. This tawny gray medium-size
cat has a short, stubby tail that is tipped and barred with black.
The Lynx is similar but with grayer fur and very pronounced black
ear tufts.
The Bobcat gets its name from its "bobbed"
tail. These cats are loners and only come together to mate during
the months of February and March. There is one litter of from
one to seven young. The gestation period is from 63 to 70 days.
The young are weaned in two months and hunting on their own by
Fall but stay with the mother for about one year.
There are anywhere from 700,000 to 1,500,00
bobcats living in North America.They live in a variety of habitats
including woods, scrub, swamps, farms and cities. The prey includes
rodents, rabbits and hares, but bobcats will also attack larger
prey such as deer. The bobcat's only predator is man and the
automobile, although bobcat young are hunted by foxes, owls and
even adult male bobcats.
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