Bobcat

Wildcat, also Bobcat, small, undomesticated carnivore belonging to the cat family. The European wildcat is larger and stronger than the domestic cat and has a shorter, thicker tail. In coloration it resembles the striped tabby cat. Once numerous in the mountain woodlands of Europe and in western portions of Asia, the species is now nearly extinct and has gained protected status in some eastern European countries. It is a nocturnal prowler and preys upon rodents, various birds, reptiles, and insects. An African subspecies of the European wildcat is believed to be a direct ancestor of the house cat.

The American species most commonly called wildcat is the bobcat, a type of lynx. Solitary and territorial animals, bobcats range throughout southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico.

Scientific classification: Wildcats belong to the family Felidae. The European wildcat is classified as Felis sylvestris, the African subspecies as Felis silvestris libyca. The American wildcat is classified as Lynx canadensis, and the bobcat as Lynx rufus.

Wildcat Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2001. © 1993-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.