Felines Of North America

Even though their numbers are down, North America is home to numerous species of wild cats. The most common and the only one not on the threatened or endangered list, is the ornery Bobcat. He is the "Lynx Rufus" which means he is in same family as the Canada Lynx, but he is a lot more versatile than the Canada Lynx. The Bobcat used to be wide spread over most of the US. But for years he was labeled as a nuisance and was either ran out of the area or was shot, and this has seriously hurt the population numbers. Still though, they are the most successful of any of the North American wild cats. They eat a wider variety of food which is a big help. The Canada Lynx eats almost exclusively Snow Shoe Hares. The Bobcat will eat a wide range of food including hares, Cottontail Rabbits, mice, rats, gophers, birds, eggs, reptiles or about anything else they can catch.

The Bobcat is only slightly larger than the average house cat, at apx 21 inches high and 10-30 pounds. Their back legs are slightly longer than the front which gives the impression that they are a lot bigger than they really are. They usually have 1-6 kittens with 2-3 the average in the spring. The eyes open at 9 days, and they nurse for 3-4 months. At 5 months mom starts taking them out to learn the fine art of hunting. They will stay with mom learning until the next spring and breeding time. The Bobcat has been known to live over 30 years in captivity, but usually only 12-13 in the wild.

The Lynx is like the Bobcats cold weather cousin. Lynx are about the same size as a Bobcat, but the Canada Lynx has cold weather gear on. Their feet are bigger than the Bobcats and with the extra hair they have on them their feet work as snowshoes. Their ear tufts are bigger and the ruff around their face is fuzzier. Canadian Lynx is a good example of the relationship between predator and prey. They have tracked the Lynx for years and watch the fluxuation up and down. Most populations of Snowshoe Hares run in cycles of 8-11 years. The Canada Lynx population followed the flow. If there isn't much food they may skip a year of having kittens. Wait till conditions are more favorable to try to raise a family. Most kittens don't make it to adulthood as is. It's hard raising a family no matter who you are. The Canada Lynx has been recorded living as long as 21 years in captivity and 15 in the wild.

Another North American cat that is pretty scarce is the Ocelot or Painted leopard. The little cat used to run most of the southern US. Now every now and then there is a sighting in Texas or Arizona then as you go farther into Mexico they become more common. The Ocelot has been studied in several different habitat types. Like most cats they are primarily nocturnal, they are territorial and primarily solitary unless mom and kits. The fur trade for the Ocelots beautiful coat has put this cat on the endangered list for US.

KC Evans is a Wildlife Rehabilitator from Wildthings Wildlife Center in Colorado.