Quick Take
- One bizarre, repeated sound from the tabby changed the whole chase. What was it saying?
- The growl sounds hilarious to us, but in the feline world it means something far more serious.
- Can a house cat really intimidate a wild predator? The answer comes with a sobering catch.
- One choice could keep your own cat out of a bobcat's path. The safest option may not be what you expect.
You would think an ordinary house cat being chased by a bobcat would have one priority: getting away as quickly as possible. Apparently, nobody told this orange tabby.
In this remarkable encounter, a bobcat pursues the smaller feline, but instead of continuing to run, the house cat turns around and stands its ground. Then comes the best part. The orange cat unleashes a bizarre, repeated growl that sounds suspiciously like it’s saying, “Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah!” Whatever message the cat intended to send, the bobcat apparently wants no part of the conversation.
This Orange Cat Isn’t Backing Down
There is something almost comical about watching a domestic cat confront a wild predator with nothing more than attitude and an extraordinary vocal performance.
The growling might sound hilarious to human ears, but it’s a serious warning in the feline world. Cats use growls, hisses, and other defensive sounds to communicate discomfort, fear, or aggression. Essentially, this little orange cat is telling the much larger animal to keep its distance.
And remarkably, the bobcat backs off.
We can’t know exactly what convinced the wildcat to retreat. Perhaps the smaller cat’s unexpected resistance made the confrontation seem like more trouble than it was worth. Whatever the reason, the encounter ends without an apparent physical fight.
Can a House Cat Really Scare Away a Bobcat?
As this video demonstrates, sometimes it can. But that doesn’t mean a domestic cat would stand much chance in an actual fight.
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are powerful North American predators that commonly hunt rabbits, rodents, birds, and other small animals. Although they generally avoid unnecessary confrontations, they are also capable of killing domestic cats.
A bobcat is typically considerably larger and stronger than an ordinary house cat, with sharp claws, powerful jaws, and the hunting instincts of a wild predator.
In this encounter, the orange cat’s defensive display appears to have been enough to discourage the bobcat from approaching further. But the outcome could easily have been different. Keeping pet cats indoors or providing secure outdoor enclosures is the safest way to prevent encounters with wild predators.
Still, you have to appreciate this little tabby’s confidence. It encountered a formidable wildcat, delivered what sounded like three enthusiastic declarations of “Oh yeah,” and watched its pursuer head in the opposite direction.
Not bad for a house cat having a very unusual day.
