In locating prey, a bobcat depends more upon its keen eyesight and hearing than its sense of smell. Bobcats can kill animals as large as deer by biting the throat at the jugular vein. Bobcats are both nocturnal and diurnal, but most hunting occurs around sunrise and sunset. They are active all year. However, they often remain in a resting place during a storm and avoid deep, soft snow because of difficulty walking in it.
Bobcats are capable of swimming and readily cross streams.
They are good climbers and take to trees as a refuge from dogs, or for resting or observation. They often stretch against some hard snag to sharpen their front claws, much in the manner of domestic cats. Bobcats gorge when food is plentiful, and may not feed again for several days. They seldom return to feed on an old kill unless food is scarce. They waste considerable meat and kill more than they eat.