The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a native wild cat of Missouri, characterized by yellowish- to reddish-brown fur, black streaks, and a short, dark-tipped tail. These solitary felines generally weigh between 8 and 49 pounds. Bobcats are highly secretive and shy, meaning they rarely pose a direct threat to people.
Assessing the Actual Risk to Humans
Bobcats are among the most elusive predators in North America and actively try to avoid contact with humans. They perceive people as the dominant threat in their environment, prioritizing avoidance over confrontation. This instinct for self-preservation makes unprovoked attacks on people extraordinarily rare across Missouri and the entire continent.
The bobcat’s diet consists mainly of small mammals, which further reduces the risk of human interaction. Rabbits, such as the Eastern cottontail, and various rodents make up the vast majority of their food intake. They prefer prey weighing between one and twelve pounds, relying on stealth and pouncing rather than engaging with larger animals.
Documented instances where a bobcat has attacked a person typically involve specific circumstances. These felines may become aggressive if they are cornered, severely injured, or protecting their young. Another possibility is rabies affliction, which causes neurological impairment and a loss of their natural fear of people. The Missouri Department of Conservation advises maintaining distance if a bobcat is sighted, as any encounter is likely to be brief.
Risks to Pets and Livestock
The primary danger bobcats present is to smaller domestic animals, especially those left unsupervised near wooded or rural edges. Small livestock, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, are particularly vulnerable as easily accessible prey. While livestock accounts for a small portion of their diet, a bobcat will take advantage of an unprotected coop.
Small outdoor pets, such as domestic cats and small dogs, are also at risk, especially in suburban areas bordering natural habitats. Bobcats are often most active during the crepuscular hours of dawn and dusk, when pets are commonly outdoors and unsupervised. Encounters do occur; for example, one reported incident in northern Missouri involved a dog surviving a scuffle with a bobcat.
Larger pets are much less likely to be targeted, as a bobcat prefers to hunt prey it can quickly subdue and carry away. The risk is magnified in areas where the bobcat’s natural prey base, such as rabbits and mice, has been reduced. This forces the feline to seek alternative, easily captured food sources. Securing outdoor pets and coops is the most effective way to minimize the potential for predation.
Strategies for Safe Coexistence
Minimizing bobcat encounters centers on eliminating attractants that draw them near human dwellings. A primary step is securing all outdoor food sources, including removing pet food bowls from porches, tightly sealing garbage bins, and cleaning up fallen fruit. Bird feeders can also unintentionally attract rodents and other small prey, which draws the attention of bobcats.
Protecting small livestock requires robust, predator-proof enclosures, particularly for poultry coops and pens. Coops should be reinforced with heavy-gauge wire, not just chicken wire, and fencing must extend below ground level to prevent digging. Because bobcats are excellent climbers, a covered or fully enclosed structure is the most secure option.
Supervising small pets is the most reliable way to prevent an attack, especially during the early morning and late evening hours when bobcats are actively hunting. If a bobcat is sighted, hazing can encourage it to leave and teach it to associate humans with an unpleasant experience. Hazing involves making loud noises, shouting, clapping hands, or using a garden hose to spray water toward the animal until it retreats.