Bobcat
Meet Oliver & Bobbi – Our Resident Bobcats
Bobcats are stealthy, solitary wildcats found mostly in the United States, but their range stretches from Mexico to southern Canada. They get their name from their short, “bobbed” tails, which look like they’ve been neatly trimmed! Most bobcats have a brown or reddish coat, a white underbelly, and those signature tufted ears that make them easy to spot.
In the wild, bobcats are crepuscular—meaning they’re most active at dawn and dusk. These agile predators hunt rabbits, rodents, snakes, and even deer. Here at the zoo, we feed our bobcats a nutritious mix of special carnivore meat and cat chow to meet their dietary needs.
We’re lucky to care for two bobcats, a male named Oliver and a female named Bobbi. Their habitat is designed to let them be their wild selves—with logs, platforms, and enrichment items that encourage their favorite activities like running, jumping, hiding, napping, and chasing.
Bobcats are known for being territorial, often marking their space with scent or scratches. In the wild, they’ll use caves, rock crevices, or hollow logs for dens—and at the zoo, we make sure they have cozy spots to do just that.
Stop by and see if you can catch Oliver or Bobbi leaping through the logs or sneaking a midday catnap!