Water availability may limit distribution in dry regions. Activity tends to begin at dusk, continue throughout the night, ending at dawn. The daylight hours are spent resting in cover areas such as rock cavities, hollow logs, snags, stumps, and dense brush. These cover areas may also be used as dens during the breeding season. Although they are largely carnivorous, they also may consume substantial amounts of vegetation, mostly fruits and some grass.
Prey is caught by stalking or ambushing from trees or atop logs or rocks.
Long pursuits of prey are very unusual, most last only a few leaps or bounds. If a large prey item is caught and too large to consume in one day, it may be cached away. Within each home range is territory defended against any threats or intruder bobcats. This area is scent marked which appears to reduce actual contact and subsequently making fighting unusual. Breeding usually occurs in winter.