Watch A Bobcat Work Hard To Sneak Up On Its Own Reflection

Are bobcats dangerous - Bobcat
Laurie E Wilson/Shutterstock.com

Written by Kirstin Harrington

Updated: October 18, 2023

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Have you ever held your pet up to a mirror to see their reaction? A lot of the time, they don’t seem to be shocked at all. Sometimes, cats, dogs, and other furry friends will play with or attack their reflection, thinking it’s another animal. But what happens when a bobcat sees a mirror in the wild? 

A trail cam shows a giant mirror placed in the woods which effortlessly reflects the surrounding area. An unassuming bobcat has no idea what he’s walking towards. Bobcats in the wild spend the majority of their time hunting in low light. It appears the feline in this video may be looking for breakfast. 

Watch the Incredible Video Now!

The animals often awaken three hours before sunset, sleep until midnight, and then awaken again an hour or so before daybreak. The pattern continues when the cats go back to sleep in the early morning.

Bobcats typically consume rats, birds, bunnies, and other relatively small animals. The cats, though, are also very skilled at catching adult white-tailed deer. They frequently hunt fawns, but they have also been known to kill adults, which may weigh up to 250 pounds. 

In this footage, we see a curious cat approach a mirror in the woods. He looks like he’s about to pounce as the feline slowly walks closer.

Although the video is relatively uneventful, it’s still interesting to watch. One might expect a bobcat to pounce at his reflection or even tear down the entire mirror. None of that happens. In fact, the intelligent creature decides to move on after realizing that what he sees isn’t a threat. 

Curiosity and a Cat

This bobcat climbed an oak tree to better view its hunting grounds in central California.

Bobcats like to rest or hunt from the branches of trees.

The presence of a healthy amount of curiosity suggests some intelligence in bobcats. A bobcat can also be sullen or disinterested at times, which may be a sign that the species acts most proactively in response to hunger. 

Bobcats may move quickly over short distances, although they often walk instead. The cat often stalks its victim carefully until it is within jumping distance after seeing it. Another interesting fact about these cats is that they are expert tree climbers and won’t think twice before climbing a tree to hide from predators. 

They frequently do not stay long when they are treed by dogs at night; instead, they leap out at the first chance. They are more likely to spend more time in the tree if they are trapped during the day. Check out all of our interesting content about the beautiful animal below! 


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About the Author

Kirstin is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering animals, news topics, fun places, and helpful tips. Kirstin has been writing on a variety of topics for over five years. She has her real estate license, along with an associates degree in another field. A resident of Minnesota, Kirstin treats her two cats (Spook and Finlay) like the children they are. She never misses an opportunity to explore a thrift store with a coffee in hand, especially if it’s a cold autumn day!

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