How Big is a Bobcat Compared To A House Cat

Bobcats are from the same Felidae family as domestic cats, but still different, they are in sizes, looks, and movements etc.
These differences give a lot of insights into the differences that exists between the two if anybody at all is interested in nature and also pet lovers can benefit from this.
Here is the breakdown of the differences between the two.

Size Comparison

Bobcat Dimensions

"Bobcat: 15-35 lbs, 2-4 ft. House Cat: 8-15 lbs, 1.5-2 ft."

Bobcats are large, medium lies wild cat species of the Lynx rufus. They usually grow up to a size of 28 to 49 inches (71 to 125 centimeters) where the size is inclusive of the tail.
At the shoulder bobcats measure within the range of 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) in height.

Contrary to common house cats, they are much heavier, weighing in the range of 15-35 lbs (7-16 kg).
The heaviest bobcat ever recorded was even recorded to have weighed 49 pounds or 22 kilograms. In overall size male bobcats appear to be bigger when compared to the female bobcats.

House Cat Dimensions

"House Cat: 8-15 lbs, 1.5-2 ft."

On the other hand, domestic house cats, scientifically known as Felis catus, are considerably smaller cats.
Mainly they vary from 18 to 20 inches (46 to 51 cm) but some of big breeds like Maine Coon can stretch up to 40 inches (101 cm) including their tails.

House cats have a height of 9- 10 inches or 23- 25 cms from the shoulder and have a body weight roughly about 8–10 lbs or 3. 6–4. However, certain breeds such as the Maine Coon and the Ragdoll the cats of can weigh as much as 20 pounds of 9 kilograms or more.

Key Insights

Length Comparison: Bobcats are much bigger in size, length wise sometimes even two times bigger than the average house cat.

Height Comparison: Housed cats, however, Bobcats stand almost twice as tall at shoulder as they do.

Weight Comparison: A bobcat can weigh up to three times as much as a house cat and you will easily observe that this animal is larger and more muscular.

Physical Characteristics

Bobcat Appearance

They have tufted ears a facial ruff, and short ‘bobbed’ tails thus giving them this name bobcat.
Their body is usually covered with grey-brown and black spot and streak pelage which actually helps them blend with the surrounding environment well.

These hinderances are accompanied by their powerfully developed legs, and enormous paws which enable them to climb and jump impressively.

House Cat Appearance

Domesticated cats that are house cats have numerous colours, patterns and fur lengths depending on the breed.
Their physiques more built and have less lengthened limbs and larger heads but relatively smaller paws and longer tails than their sizes.

Domestic cats’ eyes are of different colors and their whiskers are highly sensitive helping the animal in its ability to move around at night and hunt.

Bobcat Cat Mix Kittens

Behavioral Differences

Bobcat Behavior

"Bobcat Behavior: Solitary, stealthy, and territorial."

Wild cats, especially bobcats, are loners and are also exclusive about the area they live in mainly preferring the nighttime and the early morning (crepuscular nocturnal). They are powerful hunters who feed on the small and mid-sized animals such as rabbits, rodents, birds and sometimes occasion deer.

Due to its ability to see and hear well it becomes good hunters. Bobcats are very territorial and respond through the use of scent and scratching of body on the trees, rocks or stumps.

House Cat Behavior

"House Cat Behavior: Playful, affectionate, and curious."

Even though house cats are domesticated animals, they still have what is known as feral tendencies.
It undergoes more socialization and they are well adapted to Human environment.

They can hunt small animals, but majority of house cats feed on cat food that is bought from stores by their owners.
It is usually a day-break (dawn) and twilight (crepuscular) creature though they may be trained to the owner’s routines.

Domesticated cats are playful and some of them have been seen to meow, purr or growl as means of talking to people.

Habitat and Range

Bobcat Habitat

Bobcats are omnivores and universal animals that occur in many different conditions such as temperate coniferous and mixed forests, swamps, deserts and some suburban areas.
They are authochthonous to North America and spread from southern Canada to northern Mexico.

Bobcats are mostly found in areas such as thickets, scrubs and cultivated fields since they require hiding places when hunting and resting;
However, they are also found in habited regions.

House Cat Habitat

Domestic cats are present in all parts of the world staying mainly in homes. They can easily adjust to different environments, and this means they can comfortably live in houses in big cities or in big farms. Domestic cats can be either indoor or outdoor cats or feral cats that are allowed to roam in the streets during the day as well as during the night time, this depends on the owner’s preference or the passing law.

Pros And Cons using Bobcats.

Pros:

Expert hunters by nature, they help in maintaining ecological order particularly by depressing the rodents.Catholic for all types of environments, including suburban.

Cons:

Inappropriate as domesticated animals; they naturally belong to the wild and are thus, vicious.Demands expansive area and cannot be domesticated.Human menace and intruding on human’s agricultural lands, pastures, and gardens in the suburban and rural regions.

Pros And Cons Having House Cats

Pros:

Tame and good for home use.Demand comparatively less space and attention as compared to wild cats.They can be friendly and offer companionship to humans especially in the lonely periods of their life.

Cons:

Not able to fend for themselves in the wild with very little to no interaction with humans.Susceptible to health complications if not groomed adequately, including; overweight and dental diseases.Feral cats that wander outside pose a threat to native species’ populations.

Faqs

Q: May a bobcat be domesticated?

Bobcats, however, are free roaming animals, or wild animals and cannot be domesticated. They could be risky and big living areas would be needed.

Q: In this specific question one is expected to draw a contrast between bobcats and domesticated cats with regard to their feeding habits?

Bobcat is classified as a carnivore animal and it mostly depends on rabbits, rodents and other small to medium sized mammals while on the other hand, house cats feed on foods and treats that are bought by people or their owners.

Q: Are bobcats endangered?

Bobcats are not in any sort of endangered category and their trends are quite steady across the habitat demand in North America. They are threatened by factors like habitat loss and hunting to some extent.

Q: What is the life span of a bob cat and a house cat?

It also appears that in the territory of natural residence, the bobcats can live up to 10-12 years, with the maximum lifespan of approximately 15 years at most. Cats in captivity are known to live up to between 12 and 15 years, although well-fed and given a proper place to sleep some can even live up to the age of 20.

Q: Can domestic cats and Lynx rufus which is also known as bobcat reproduce with each other?

However, house cats cannot mate with bobcats hence the two cannot interbreed. These two animals belong to different species and they have different genetic realities and as such, biologically they can therefore not interbreed.

Conclusion

There is another important factor and it is the difference in the size of bobcats and house cats, while the former are much bigger and rather muscular.
Bobcats can help regulate small mammal population in places where they are found and house cats are cute and perfect to provide company at home.
Explaining these differences, facilitates in comprehending the importance that each cat has in performing its function in its habitat.
Due to their wild nature and a relatively bigger size, bobcats cannot be domesticated besides the normal house cats that are always associated with human beings where they offer companionship and at times a form of security in person.

How Big is a Bobcat Compared To A House Cat