Bobcat or Cougar?

He has been coming around a lot lately is this something I should be worried about

I have seen 2 cougars up close. This picture doesn’t look like one to me.

my vote’s bobcat

the tail is kinda long for a Bobcat so I'm not sure what it is

i think it’s within the normal range. the tail’s way too short (and the wrong color pattern if the poor thing lost part) for a cougar. cougars don’t get that kind of leg spotting either (cubs have spots but not patches like that). i guess to me there’s just more reasons why it’s not a cougar than why it’s not a bobcat.

if it is a Bobcat thats probably better to have running around than a Cougar.  I don't have any livestock but I do have dogs I worry about

Definitely NOT cougar, based on tail coloration. Even if a cougar lost part of it's tail, it would not be black tipped. The black tipped tail is normal in Lynx or Bobcat.

Size should be a dead giveaway, a Bobcat would be 24-40 inches long, 18-24 inches high (Lynx more usually 24 inches) and 13-33lbs (Lynx 18-60lbs). A Cougar would be 5-6 FEET long (not including tail which would pretty much DOUBLE this length) and 130-225 lbs.

The "Canadian" Lynx is more northern, whereas the Bobcat primarily resides south of the Canadian border. Without knowing your location it is hard to be more specific, but am assuming North America. Fun fact, they are both part of the "Lynx" genus, along with two other "Lynx" in this genus; the Eurasian Lynx in Europe/Tibet/Asia-Minor and the Iberian Lynx (along with multiple subspecies of each named species).

Predation of domestic fowl can occur, but generally they stick to wild birds, rabbits, lizards, rodents, snakes and carrion. Actually, a rather helpful cat to have around.

Growing up in South Georgia, we saw them all the time.  Definitely a Bobcat.

Faye Streiff wrote:Growing up in South Georgia, we saw them all the time.  Definitely a Bobcat.

Yes - see the pointy tufty ears and cheek tufts as well.

Looks like a bobcat to here is a photo of one:



Desert USA