Bobcats are found below 8,000 feet in all of the western states and Canada. Although bobcats prefer rimrocks and gullies in the West, they also roam swamps and woodlands in other areas. They den in rock crevices and hollow logs. Bobcats eat a varied diet, including rats, mice, rabbits, squirrels, carrion, and insects, so they rarely encounter food shortages. Like mountain lions, bobcats use stealth in hunting their prey, often waiting for hours near a game trail for prey to come within their 10-foot springing range.
Bobcats are solitary and active both day and night.
They are expert tree-climbers and swimmers and powerful fighters. Their large scent- marked territories are traveled daily. They have a life span of 15 to 20 years. As with all large carnivores, the bobcat's main enemy is humans. In some parts of the country, hunting them is still permitted, though they are valuable to farmers because they eat many rodents.