What is the difference between cougars and bobcats

True to their common name wildcat , this feline is small but aggressive and can kill prey larger than itself, such as deer. However, the population of bobcats is threatened by certain animals such as the coyotes. The average life span of a bobcat is years. A mountain lion is a feline of many names.

It is also known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamount. Its scientific name is Puma concolor. It holds the Guinness world record for the animal that has the most number of names. These animals usually live in wooded or suburban environments and even rocky and semi-desert areas. A mountain lion has a total length of up to 6 feet.

It weighs around 66 to lbs. It is a slender cat with a round head and ears that are erect. The mountain lion usually has an orange-brown or yellow-brown coat. Its tail is long and cylindrical and has a dark tip. Although the mountain lion is large, it is commonly associated with the small cats since it lacks the ability to roar.

Nevertheless, it is identified as the second heaviest cat in America, next to the jaguar. Mountain lions are solitary, nocturnal animals and are also very territorial. These animals have no fixed mating season and the gestation period takes around 3 months. The habitat of a bobcat ranges from swamps, desert fringes, and forests.

The majority of the bobcats are found in the United States, but they range from Mexico to Southern Canada. Bobcats are also referred to as wildcats. They are twice as big as an average housecat. The geographic range of the cougar is the greatest of any wild terrestrial animal in the western hemisphere, from Canadian Yukon through central and South America to the southern tip of Chile.

If you can identify animal tracks, you can keep yourself safe while walking in nature. The first thing you want to be able to determine is whether or not the print is feline or canine. Feline prints are easy to distinguish because unlike canine prints, they do not have claws, cats keep their retracted while they walk.

They also communicate using hisses, purr, growls, and screams. Mountain lion communicates through scents, visual signals, and vocalization. The vocalization made by bobcats includes meows, hisses, yowls, growls, and screams. One can quickly identify cougars and bobcats by their size because mountain lions are considered large cats.

Bobcats are mid-sized cats measuring just 2 to 3. Their size distinction is clearly recognizable in their tails, as the cougar can have a 2. The bobcat is named for its short tail, which appears bobbed. The coloration of cougars and bobcats is similar, with both exhibiting a tawny or brown-colored coat. Cougars and bobcats, like all species of cats, are carnivores. Both cougars and bobcats are considered generalist carnivores, meaning they eat meat from a variety of animals depending on availability in their home ranges.

Bobcats can hunt large animals like deer, but typically prey on smaller options such as rabbits, squirrels, birds and even reptiles. Even if we just consider mountain lion and bobcat size comparison, mountain lions are double the size of bobcats.

Bobcats would generally attack smaller prey. So, always keep your children and pets away when you see a bobcat. Never run away. Both bobcats and mountain lions are cat species but differ greatly in their appearance, size, and behavioral traits. The difference between bobcat and mountain lion can also be seen in their habitat.

In a bobcat and mountain lion size comparison, the latter is much bigger. On the contrary, mountain lions are popularly known as cougars. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Mountain Lion: What is the difference between Bobcat and Mountain lion?