Bobcats are nocturnal, solitary animals and like to mark their territory in a variety of ways, including scrapes, scratches, and piles of dirt covered with their scent. Males will often share their home ranges with other males and females, whereas females usually do not. A typical home range can span more than 20 miles depending on the season. Bobcats enjoy swimming and climbing and are often seen resting on rocky ledges.

As carnivores, bobcats eat a wide variety of small animals like rabbits, woodchucks and raccoons and can also eat birds and reptiles. Using stalking skills, bobcats can also take down larger prey while they are resting or asleep. They can go long periods of time without food but will gorge when prey is abundant.

Bobcats mate between February and March, and the female can give birth to a litter of one to seven kittens; most litters have about two to four kittens. They usually open their eyes after 10 days. At about 10 weeks, the kittens are weaned but stay with their mother for about a year.

Although bobcats are hunted and traded, they are not considered endangered, and many live in protected areas of the United States.

Bobcats can be found all over the United States except parts of the Midwest, and can live as far north as Canada and as far south as Mexico.