Do Bobcats Have Tails? Best Explaination

Although bobcats are so cute that many people wonder whether they might keep them as pets, they are known to be vicious hunters.

The characteristic tails of bobcats are one feature that distinguishes them from many other cat species and gives them their name.

Bobcats have short, bobbed tails that are white below and black on top, measuring two to eight inches. Bobcats have shorter tails than most other cats for a variety of reasons, including the way they hunt, a mutation that is genetically neutral and is handed down through generations, and the result of genetic selection favoring longer, stronger rear legs.

The features of a bobcat’s tail and theorized reasons for their bobbed tails will be covered in this article. It will also contrast the tails of bobcats with those of other feline species.

Bobcat Tail Characteristics

The “bobbed” look of the bobcat’s tail is the source of its name. Due to their tails, bobcats may be easily identified from other large cats that have a similar appearance.

 

Length

The average bobcat’s tail is shorter than the tail of a conventional cat, despite differing reports from different sources.

While this source claims that bobcat tail lengths normally vary from two to eight inches, another claims that bobcat tail lengths range from four to seven inches.

Color

The tails of bobcats are speckled with black and white. The underside or bottom of their tails are white, while the tops are black.

The bobcat is distinguished from other cats by its distinctive bobbed look as well as the colors of its tail.

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Why Do Bobcats Have Tails?

There are several ideas as to why bobcats have short tails, even if scientists and experts are still unable to agree on one.

Hunting Method

Because bobcats hunt mostly on the ground and don’t commonly climb trees, there are several theories explaining this. Longer tail cats utilize them for better balance while climbing trees. Shorter tails have developed in bobcats because they do not require this improved balance.

This is supported by the fact that long tails may be more conspicuous to prey than short tails, which are less likely to warn of a predator’s approach.

Genetic Mutation

Another idea holds that the short tail of the bobcat was originally an evolutionary neutral mutation, meaning it had no discernible beneficial or bad effects.

Over the years, this short tail was still being passed down.

Tool For Travel

The fact that young bobcats utilize the white underside of their tail as a flag to lead them on their journeys forms the basis of a third idea.

The individual who offered this hypothesis pointed out that the tail’s unique coloring may be more significant or useful than the tail’s length.

Climate Adaptation

Bobtails may also be the best hairstyle for cats in cold areas since they minimize the surface area of the cat, which lowers the chance of heat loss. Eliminating the lengthy tail may also help the cat lose weight and stay out of the snow.

Since lynxes and bobcats both have short tails, this idea could apply more to lynxes as bobcats tend to reside in warmer regions.

Side Effect Of Selection

Their longer hind legs and higher jumps are the final trait that bobcats, caracals, and lynxes have in common. The shortened tail may have been an accidental consequence of the genetic selection for long, strong hind legs.

Are the Tails of Bobcat Kittens Long?

Bobcats resemble other kinds of kittens a lot when they are young. If you were to come across an abandoned litter of bobcat kittens, you may mistake them for tabby cats since gray tabby cats sometimes resemble bobcat kittens in appearance. If they were extremely young, their tails would be around the same size.

Before you could see that their tails are getting shorter, they would need to grow older and larger over time. Additional indicators to search for include spots and rings/banding. These are also present in most tabby cats, although they are more common in bobcats because of their larger spots and bands.

You will recognize that these cats were not your typical cats as they began to fill out fully. Compared to a typical house cat, they will be substantially bigger and have smaller tails.

Lynx Tail Vs Bobcat Tail

However wolves like bobcats are related to canines, they differ slightly from other wolves in several aspects. The diminutive stature and short tail are common to all members of the Lynx family. But a few minor variations exist.

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In general, the lynx tail will have less color, markings, and banding. Yes, it has a black tip. Although there is more banding or spots, the bobcat tail may also have a black tip. Similar to bobcats, Canadian lynxes have somewhat shorter tails.

Bobcat Tail vs Other Cats

We can learn more about the distinctions between different cat species by contrasting the tails of bobcats and other cats.

These cats are really different from one another even though they share a lot in common!

Lion

The long tails of lions, which have black tassels at the end, are sometimes used to guide other lions through dense undergrowth. The length of a lion’s tail varies from 27 to 41 inches. The position of a lion’s tail can convey its emotions and serve as a communication tool.

Though bobcats don’t have black tassels on their tails, it’s likely that they still utilize them to guide one another over different terrain.

Rather, a bobcat’s tail has a black tip and a white underside. Moreover, bobcat tails are shorter than those of lions.

Tiger

When making abrupt maneuvers while pursuing prey, tigers frequently rely on their long tails for balance. The tail of a tiger may reach three feet in length. Tigers frequently communicate visually using their tails, much like lions do.

Since their tails are far shorter than a tiger’s, measuring just eight inches at most—less than 25% of the length—bobcats rarely utilize them for balance.

Lynx

Because they both have short, “bobbed” tails, lynxes and bobcats are the most comparable animals. The typical length of a lynx’s tail is four to eight inches. But the primary distinction between the tails of bobcats and lynxes is their color.

A lynx’s tail tip is entirely black in color. In addition, the top of a bobcat’s tail is all black, while the bottom is covered with white.

Jaguar

Jaguars have rather short tails in relation to the other cats seen here. With a length of around two feet, their tails are longer than bobcats’ but shorter than lions’ and tigers’.

Leopard

With a maximum length of 3.6 feet, leopards have the longest tails of any cat described in this article. This is far longer than a bobcat’s tail, however there is one similarity between bobcat and leopard tails.

The white undersides of both tails are useful for providing traveling guidance for young.

Cheetah

The latter third of a cheetah’s tail is ringed with black rings, and its length typically ranges from 26 to 33 inches. Like tigers, cheetahs frequently rely on their tails for balance when hunting and making abrupt turns.

The tails of bobcats and cheetahs are very distinct from one another in terms of length, color, and structure.

Conclusion

Although bobcats don’t have long tails as other cats do, they do. The term “bobcat” really came from the way their tails looked, which is bobbed. Usually measuring between two and eight inches, bobcats have lengthy tails. The upper part of it is black, while the lower part is white.

Why bobcats evolved short tails is a subject of several theories. A genetically neutral mutation that was handed down over several generations might be the cause of the short tail.

Alternatively, the bobcat’s shorter tail might have been an unintended consequence of genetic selection favoring longer, stronger hind legs.

Another idea states that because bobcats don’t climb trees as frequently as other cat species that do and use their longer tails for improved balance, they don’t need as long of a tail.

Frequently Ask Question(FAQs):

Does bobcats have the ability to have tails?

A 4 or 5 inch tail with a black and white tip is a reliable indicator that you have observed a bobcat in the Land Between the Lakes, no matter how it got there.

Can a human be harmed by a bobcat?

Indeed, attacks on people by bobcats are not uncommon, but they do happen.
Many people are curious in and concerned about these nocturnal, secretive animals, especially when it comes to human safety.

Do tails of bobcat kittens present?

The characteristic spots on the insides of their legs and stomachs of these bobcat kittens are seen in the very last video segments. The primary distinction between the two species is their tails. The tails of mountain lions may reach a length of three feet! while bobcats only have 2 to 8 inch tails.

Are there tails on tigers?

Back. The length of a tiger’s tail is around one meter, or three feet, and it may be involved in their ability to communicate visually (see communication-vision section). Tigers utilize their tails to help them stay balanced as they turn abruptly to pursue their prey.

What color is the tail of a bobcat?

Typically, bobcats have tan and brown tails with white below and banding on top. They could be speckled as well. A bobcat’s tail often has a black tip at the end.

What is larger, the Canadian Lynx or the Bobcat?

Compared to the Canadian lynx, the bobcat is smaller. The Canadian Lynx is somewhat larger than a bobcat and has longer limbs and legs. The tail of a bobcat is often somewhat longer than that of a Canadian lynx.