Bobcat vs fox: Two Unique and Fascinating Wild Carnivores

Bobcat is a wild cat that is very fierce and tenacious in its behavior while the fox is a sly but very cunning predator. These two animals are very unique and versatile creatures and sometimes share a habitat and also overlap on some prey items. There might be some similarities between them but there are more differences. In this article, we are going to compare bobcat vs fox based on their several features and have a broad overview of these animals.

Generally speaking, foxes are almost the same as dogs while bobcats are cats. Bobcats are carnivores and are mainly found in the North American continent while foxes are omnivores and could be found anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. There might be some differences in the sizes of various fox species but all the bobcat subspecies exist in the almost same size. Let’s have a brief overview of these animals.

Bobcats

Bobcat is a medium-sized wild cat and the only well-recognized specie of the Lynx genus. It can be found in Canada, USA, and Mexico. These cats are very solitary in nature and usually avoid interaction with human beings. Bobcats like to live in deserts, forests, prairies, swamps, logs, trees, and some wooded areas. They are carnivorous and like to feed on small mammals like mice, rabbits, birds, reptiles, deer, etc. These cats are expert climbers and could also swim very well. Bobcats are highly adaptable animals and could survive in a very harsh cold climate as well as in a warm climate.

Foxes

Fox is a small to medium-sized mammal of the Canidae family. The weight of the fox is around 15 pounds and has a length in the range of 35 to 60 inches. It has a bushy tail and a reddish coat on its body. It is an omnivore animal and likes to rely on small mammals like rodents, insects, rabbits, etc. There are almost 30 sub-species of foxes in the world and the most prominent among these is the red fox. They like to live in dense forest areas and have also adapted very well to suburban areas. Foxes are solitary by nature and like to mark their territory with the help of their urine and feces.

Comparing bobcat vs fox

Let’s compare bobcats and foxes on the basis of their physical features and several other habits.

Size: bobcat vs fox

Bobcat is a medium-sized cat that comes with a bobbed tail. These cats can be as heavy as the weight of 40 pounds and can be as long as 50 inches in length. Overall, the bobcat is almost double the size of a house cat. On the other hand, foxes are small to medium-sized animals.

There are 12 species and almost 30 subspecies of foxes. The smallest species of fox is named Fennec fox which is mainly found in the middle-east and North Africa.  The maximum weight of this specie could be 3.5 pounds and could reach a length of almost 15 inches excluding its almost 3.5 inches long tail.

The largest specie of the fox is the red fox which is mainly found in North Africa, North America, Asia, and Europe. This specie could have a maximum weight of around 30 pounds while the maximum length could be 35 inches.

Reproduction capability: Fox vs bobcat

Foxes can give birth to at least 2 to 8 kits per year. Several species of foxes vary on the basis of their size, color, etc. The colors of their kits could be in the range of pearl white to pitch black with white specs. On the other hand, bobcats can give birth to at least 6 kittens per season.

These kittens have at least an 8 to 10 weeks gestation period. There are almost 13 subspecies of bobcats that vary on the basis of their physical features. Among these 13 subspecies, there are only two very well-recognized species Lynx Rufus Rufus and Lynx Rufus Fasciatus.

Habitat

Bobcats are highly versatile cats and adaptable to live in a variety of habitats. You can find these cats in the extremely cold North Canadian region as well as moderate regions of Southern Mexico. Bobcats can survive in grasslands, deserts, swamps, forests, etc. one of the bobcat species Lynx Rufus Texensis mainly thrive in the swamps of Louisiana while another specie Lynx Rufus Escuinupae mainly thrive in the deserts of central Mexico.

On the other hand, foxes also have a very broad range of habitats. You can find these mammals all over the world but particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. These mammals are also found in the southern hemisphere and South Africa has been home to many fox species. Foxes are also highly adaptable to a variety of habitats.

Once these mammals were introduced in Australia for controlling a pest. They thrive so well in Australia that they became the top invasive species on the continent. Now, it has also been added to the list of the top 100 invasive species in the world. Foxes have very diverse habitats as you can find these mammals in the frigid zones of tundra as well as in the arid deserts of the Middle East.

Diet

Foxes are omnivore creatures and like to consume a variety of foods. Mainly, they like to eat small vertebrates like birds, reptiles, and small invertebrates like insects. In case of emergency, they could also consume vegetables, fruits, and eggs. The diet usually remains the same for all the fox species except some sub-species that like to have some more focused type diet like a crab-eating fox.

On the other hand, bobcats are carnivores and prefer to eat small mammals like hares, mice, rabbits, etc. sometimes they also show some diversion from their traditional diet and eat birds, insects, lizards, and also big animals like deer, sheep, and goat. It has been estimated that they could hunt animals twice their own size. Being opportunistic hunters, they could ambush any animal at any time they think suitable.

Fur

There are also some differences in terms of their fur. Bobcats come in very short size which exhibits a mixture of many colors while the fox has very long and thick fur which is highly suitable for very cold climates. There is no single defined color for the fur of a fox. When it comes to the color of the fur of both of these animals, we have come to the conclusion that the fur color of these animals helps them in easy blending in the local environment. They can keep themselves away from their predators.

Adaptation capability

Both are highly adaptable animals and could easily survive in a variety of environments. Bobcats have long legs, sharp claws, easily blending coat color, and short-haired but thick fur, for easy adaptation in a variety of environments. Foxes are also good in terms of their adaptations as they come with thick long fur, moderate size, and speed, sprint capability, and long legs. Bobcats are expert climbers but foxes are not good climbers.

Cunning

People are debating for a very long time on this feature who is the more cunning bobcat or the fox? Both animals have their own unique set of skills. They deploy these skills to outsmart their enemies. They can stalk their prey and ambush them at the most opportune time. Both animals might be very good but foxes have an edge over bobcats in this regard. Foxes are very clever animals and could easily outsmart their enemies and find sources of food even if there is food scarcity. The foxes are also quite good at hiding from their predators.

Lifespan

The life span of the bobcat is around 8 to 10 years while foxes can survive as long as 3 to 7 years. The lifespan of these animals is mainly impacted by their hunting habits and general lifestyle of these animals. Bobcats are solitary by nature and that’s why live longer than foxes.

Who would be the ultimate winner: bobcat vs fox?

In simple words, the bobcat would be the ultimate winner if the fight happens between these animals. Bobcat has an edge over a fox on several things. For instance, bobcats have a very strong bite force as compared to foxes. Bobcats are also expert climbers as compared to foxes who don’t like to climb. Bobcats also have a very big size as compared to small-size foxes. These cats are considered among the apex predators of their territory or habitat while foxes might be cunning but sly creatures. Overall, bobcats are also very well-known for their fierceness and tenaciousness.

Frequently asked questions

Final Words

Both bobcats and foxes are very well-known and versatile creatures of the world. They might have an edge over each other in some of their features. But both animals are quite interesting to be studied deeper. We have compared these animals on the basis of their most prominent features to clear your confusion about them once and for all. By going through this article, you can have a very broad overview of these animals that how they act in the wilderness, and how they behave with each other. I hope this article helps you a lot in getting the most suitable and to-the-point information about these bobcats and foxes.