At that time, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection reclassified the bobcat as a protected furbearer, with no hunting or trapping seasons. Conversely, housing and commercial development have decreased the amount of suitable habitat. Bobcats are less adaptable to humans than other wildlife species, such as the coyote. Compared to many wildlife species, bobcats rarely cause conflicts with human activities. Infrequently, they kill livestock, especially fowl, and attack domestic cats.
Problems caused by bobcats are too infrequent to justify efforts to reduce populations.
Conflicts should be addressed on an individual basis and can often be remedied by preventative methods such as fencing. Bobcat attacks on people are virtually unknown. They are not a significant vector of disease and rarely contract the mid-Atlantic strain of rabies. The P-R Program provides funding through an excise tax on the sale of sporting firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. The remaining 25 percent of the funding is matched by the Connecticut Wildlife Division.