Lynx rufus
Most of the Lower 48. Scarcer in parts of the Midwest and agricultural plains. Round track about 1.5 to 2.5 inches, four toes, no claw marks.
What does a bobcat look like?
Tawny spotted cat, short bobbed tail with black bars, ear tufts small.
What do bobcat tracks look like?
Round, clawless, slightly wider than long. A walking bobcat direct-registers. Retracted claws are the main split from a small dog.
- Round track about 1.5 to 2.5 inches, four toes, no claw marks
- Leading toe is asymmetric
- Heel pad has two lobes in front and three behind
- Trail is a straight walking line
- Scat is segmented, often covered, and full of hair
What does bobcat poop look like?
Blunt segments with hair. Often buried or left at a scrape. Less tapered than fox. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine, including the deer tick.
Where you find it
Most of the Lower 48. Scarcer in parts of the Midwest and agricultural plains. Typical places: woods, desert, field. Year-round. Tracks show best in mud and snow.
What to do next
- Give it space
- Secure poultry in a closed coop
- A bobcat that stays near people in daylight may be sick. Call wildlife control.
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Canada lynx identification
- Cougar identification
- Domestic cat identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
A round print about 2 inches across, four toes, no claw marks, with a lobed heel pad.
Do bobcat tracks show claws?
Almost never. Visible claw marks point to a dog or fox, not a bobcat.
How to tell a bobcat from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Canada lynx. A big, round, snowshoe print. Gray cat, long ear tufts, huge feet, black tip on a very short tail.
- Cougar. A big round cat print. Large plain tan cat, long tail, rounded ears.
- Domestic cat. A miniature bobcat print. A house cat.
Bobcat field marks
- Round track about 1.5 to 2.5 inches, four toes, no claw marks
- Leading toe is asymmetric
- Heel pad has two lobes in front and three behind
- Trail is a straight walking line
Where the sign shows up
Most of the Lower 48. Scarcer in parts of the Midwest and agricultural plains. Typical places: woods, desert, field. Year-round. Tracks show best in mud and snow.
Round, clawless, slightly wider than long. A walking bobcat direct-registers. Retracted claws are the main split from a small dog. Blunt segments with hair. Often buried or left at a scrape. Less tapered than fox.
Common questions
What do bobcat tracks look like?
A round print about 2 inches across, four toes, no claw marks, with a lobed heel pad.
Do bobcat tracks show claws?
Almost never. Visible claw marks point to a dog or fox, not a bobcat.