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Have you ever spotted a wild cat in our Western North Carolina forests? If you’re lucky, you might have seen a bobcat! As nature’s ninjas, they silently roam our mountains and valleys. 

They’re one of our most fascinating creatures. I’ve never seen one in the wild, but I’ve heard them talking to each other in our woods! 

While their soft paws allow them to sneak up on prey without making a sound, they can be pretty noisy when defending their territory or young. If you hear a screaming noise out in the woods, it’s often a bobcat. 

But please don’t be afraid, as they have no interest in harming you. In fact, there’s never been a recorded fatality of a human by a bobcat. They are way more afraid of us than we should be of them! You do, however, need to be careful about allowing small pets outside alone at night, as a hungry bobcat might take an interest.

Bobcats are about twice as big as your house cat but much smaller than a mountain lion. They get their name from their short, “bobbed” tails. With beautiful spotted fur, they blend in with their surroundings. Their pointy ears often have tufts of fur on top, making them look extra cool!

As masters of stealth, they’re nature’s perfect hunters. They can leap up to 10-12 feet in a single bound. 

So, what other skills do they have? Well, with remarkable vision, bobcats can see six times better in the dark than humans! They also possess extraordinary hearing because they can rotate their ears in all directions to hear sounds. 

They’re great climbers, too,  and can swim if needed. Plus, they can run 30 miles an hour when needed. Now that’s fast! Another cool fact is that they remember where they’ve found food and return to those spots to hunt again.

Most active at dawn and dusk, they might nap in a hollow log or a rocky den during the day. When it’s time to hunt, they creep through the forest, looking for rabbits, squirrels, and other small animals. Sometimes, they even catch fish!

Bobcats are usually loners, except during mating season and when mothers are raising their kittens. Baby bobcats, called kits, are born with closed eyes and rely on their mom for everything. Mom teaches them how to hunt and survive in the wild as they grow. When the babies are 10-12 months old, they leave Mom to go live by themselves. 

And how long does a bobcat live in the wild? Some live to be 12 years old, but most live only 3-4 years. And what is their only real predator? Humans. 

So why do bobcats play a super important role in nature? Here’s why. By hunting small animals, they help keep their populations in check, preventing any one species from becoming too numerous. 

When bobcats control rabbit and rodent populations, young trees and plants are protected from being overeaten. Of course, this is sad for the rabbits and rodents, but it is part of Mother Nature’s cycle. 

People have lived alongside bobcats in Western North Carolina for thousands of years. Native American tribes respected these cats and told stories about their wisdom and hunting skills. Today, bobcats still share our mountains, though they try to avoid humans.

As we build more houses and roads, we take away some of their habitat. Just one female bobcat needs about five square miles for her territory to thrive. So it’s’ important we learn to coexist with these amazing animals as everything in nature is connected. 

The next time you hike in Western North Carolina, keep your eyes peeled for these cool cats. Remember, even if you don’t see them, they might be watching you! Bobcats remind us of the wild beauty surrounding us and the importance of protecting nature. And, just maybe, my time is coming to see one in the wild! 

Loti Woods is co-founder of Champions for Wildlife, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire kids to be champions for wildlife through the power of art and education. To learn more, visit www.championsforwildlife.org.