Bobcats are actually medium-sized cats found in North America and are also known as red lynxes. Its population ranges from Canada to most of the United States. This article covers the concern of “Can bobcats eat house cats?”, how to avoid contact with bobcats, possible preventive measures, etc.
Can bobcats eat house cats?
Yes, bobcats can eat house cats. Bobcats are obligate carnivores that feed on meat for their nutrition. These predators hunt down domestic cats and dogs, mice, sheep, squirrels, small fawns, rabbits, etc.
It’s an improbable but possible condition that a bobcat attacks unattended domestic cats and dogs for food. Bobcats are concerned with the meat diet and don’t care about the specie from which that meat comes. Domestic cats and dogs under 16 pounds are vulnerable to bobcat attacks.
How can you identify a bobcat?
Bobcats are characterised by their dark spotted fur with dark stripes on their legs and bobbed tails. They have big feet with elongated legs and are twice the size of domestic cats. They are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Their life span usually ranges between 5 and 15 years in the wild.
Bobcats usually weigh between 14 and 40 pounds, some will be size domestic cats, and some will be much larger. They are generally 1.5 to 2 feet tall (males are more significant than females.
What are the conditions leading to a bobcat’s attack on your pet?
Bobcats usually attack stray and unattended cats. Pet owners leave their pets alone in their locality or household. Cat species do not agree that they won’t attack each other.
Bobcat’s ability to kill and eat domestic cats is not unquestionable. They can feed on different parts of meat, from rats to sheep. Their favourite prey is rabbits, but they will feed on many other animal species. All of their nutritional contents, minerals, vitamins and caloric needs are fulfilled by eating the flesh of these animals.
Bobcats are attracted to domestic cats roaming about in parks, backyards and litter dumps. They are active predators, preying on the meat animals and sometimes, they store meat for future purposes.
What to do if you see a bobcat near your cat?
Following are the things that you should do if you see any bobcats near you:
- Don’t approach bobcats; they are ferocious and can cause injury.
- Don’t turn your back on the bobcat while saving your cat.
- Start making a lot of noise, banging lids together or something that produces noise.
- If you’ve water, spray it on the bobcat.
- If you see a bobcat out in the neighbourhood, notify animal control.
Can bobcats get along with domestic cats?
Bobcats are obligate carnivores like domestic cats, which need meat for most of their nutrition. Most of the time, bobcats don’t discriminate between animal species for their food. They can eat rabbits, mice, squirrels, domestic cats, and even dogs.
However, bobcats can be kept as a pet with domestic cats, but it’ll always put your domestic cat at risk of attack by bobcats. So, it’s advised chiefly not to keep bobcats and domestic cats in each other’s vicinity. Bobcats are opportunistic predators; they’ll get an opportunity to pounce on your pet to tear it apart.
How can you prevent a bobcat’s attack on your cat?
Bobcat’s attack on pet animals hasn’t been an alarming situation, but their number is increasing daily, enhancing the chance of their attack on your pet. To prevent this situation, you have to take some measures, which include:
- Make sure your household has proper back walls, preventing bobcats from entering your house.
- If you’re going out of town, you have to leave your pet with someone responsible who can take care of your pet while you’re away.
- If you see a bobcat in your locality, inform them about animal control.
- Don’t let your cat stray unattended in an area with the presence of a bobcat.
There have not been many cases of bobcats attack on cats, but it’s not beyond the capability of bobcats to kill your pets, so you’ve to give extra care when bobcats are at release in your area. Bobcats have adapted to different habitats and different feeding habits.
However, bobcats infected with rabies should be tackled with great care. That’s why vaccination protocols are essential both for pets and pet owners. Bobcats are not dangerous to humans but can cause serious injury when exposed.
Conclusion:
This article covered the concern “Can bobcats eat house cats?”, how to avoid contact with bobcats, possible conditions, preventive measures, etc. All of this discussion led us to the result that bobcats can eat unattended domestic cats for their meat purposes and other small animals are always prone to attack by them.
