Blue Bobcat: Exploring the Genetics of Maltese Bobcats

Blue bobcat or Maltese is very unique and rare kind of bobcat. These cats used to live in the Southern states of the USA. The extraordinary uniqueness of these cats actually comes from their silver-black coat and black dog-like face. These cats were available in reasonable quantity in the Southern states. Nowadays, these cats have been completely eliminated from the North American continent.

How Is A blue bobcat born?

This kind of cat is actually born with a hybrid of genes. One kind of gene causes Melanism or you can say black coloration on the cat and another gene causes dilution or you can say lighten up the animal’s fur. These kinds of genes are usually very rare in bobcats but you can find bobcats having these kinds of genes in the southern US states. These states have very dense forests and bobcats can enjoy the shadowy habitat. Several black or dark bobcats were also hunted in these areas.

The historical presence of blue bobcats

There were a lot of blue bobcats in the North American continent almost 3 to 4 centuries before. In the early 1900, some record of trappers and hunters selling the blue bobcat’s fur is also available in the history books. Nowadays, these cats have gone completely extinct from society. Once a blue bobcat was spotted in Grimes, Texas. Unfortunately, it was killed by a trophy hunter in 2016. The photo of the dead blue bobcat went viral after the hunter gleefully posted it on Facebook. The blue bobcat has been seen lying dead with fatal wounds on the chest and forefeet.

According to the Hudson Bay fur company, there were very few blue bobcats reported from 1700 to 1900. This was the only blue bobcat that was seen over the years. All the netizen has taken very severe and very ferociously criticized the hunter for killing an animal for fun. There might come one day when we would be able to see the blue bobcat again. Nevertheless, there are no protection laws in any state of the country. It means that blue bobcats are still at very high risk even if these cats are available somewhere in the USA. Some hunters or trappers might kill them again if the cats are spotted again for getting their beautiful fur.

Blue bobcats are not the only animals who had gone extinct from the States. The distant cousin of the bobcat named the Bengal tiger was also available in reasonable quantities in blue-grey form. However, we had not seen any Bengal tiger since it was spotted in 1925. There must be proper protection laws and other rules and regulations for the maintenance of these extinct animals if they appear by chance from somewhere.

What is the rare bobcat?

Melanistic bobcat or all-black bobcat is considered the rarest and most unique bobcats throughout the world. It has been reported that there are only 16 such cats spotted on the North American continent. There is a proper facility available in one of the Canadian museums where you can study these cats very deeply, especially how these cats have morphed into this kind of color.

Conclusion

Blue bobcat or Maltese is the rarest and the most unique form of the bobcat which we had witnessed in the North American continent. Once these cats were available in the southern states in a very reasonable quantity. However, these cats had gone extinct since early 1900. Once it was spotted and killed by a trophy hunter in 2016. Since then no blue bobcat was spotted or reported from anywhere. However, there is a need to devise proper laws, and some rules and regulations for the protection of these cats if these cats appear from anywhere by any chance.