This House-Cat Hits Overdrive When It Sees a Bobcat Chasing It

Written by Sharon Parry
Updated: October 19, 2023
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Watch this house cat wish that they were a house cat after all. The great outdoors probably seemed very appealing and exciting but then this happened! No domestic kitty wants to meet a bobcat on their travels.

Watch the Amazing Video Now!

Bobcat Trailing a Domestic Cat

In this short clip, we see a black domestic cat moving quite rapidly along a dirt track. At first, it is quite hard to see why the cat is hurrying. But if you look carefully, you can see that it is being followed.

Right behind the kitty, there is a bobcat! These are medium-sized members of the Felidae family but are in the Lynx genus. They are found in Central and North America and are solitary hunters.

Bobcats are larger than domestic cats – they can grow to around 33 pounds. There are currently twelve recognized sub-species and each has a slightly different color coat. In fact, their coat varies with the location of their habitat. The bobcats that live in forests have a darker coat but those that live in arid areas are lighter. This particular bobcat is very well camouflaged against the dirt track.

Burmese black cat

Domestic cats are seen by bobcats as a source of protein

©woff/Shutterstock.com

Bobcats and Domestic Cats

This domestic cat clearly perceives the bobcat as a threat. At the start of the vid, it is trying to get away from the larger cat. However, a dignified retreat turns into a blind panic when the cat turns and realizes how just how close the bobcat actually is.

So, does this domestic cat really have anything to fear? Bobcats are shy animals and try to stay away from humans. Their hunting technique often involves a stealthy approach and a chase. It’s not hard to find news reports of attacks by bobcats on domestic cats and bobcat sightings in urban areas seem to be on the increase so these two species will encounter each other more often. In all of the reports that we could find, it was the bobcat that came off the best and several domestic cats have been killed by their larger cousins. To a bobcat, a domestic cat is a source of protein. They are therefore a legitimate target for this obligate carnivore.  

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Don Mammoser/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Dr Sharon Parry is a writer at A-Z animals where her primary focus is on dogs, animal behavior, and research. Sharon holds a PhD from Leeds University, UK which she earned in 1998 and has been working as a science writer for the last 15 years. A resident of Wales, UK, Sharon loves taking care of her spaniel named Dexter and hiking around coastlines and mountains.

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