Cougars and bobcats are both wild cats in the family Felidae. However, they are two different species with important differences.
Even though these well-known animals live in different parts of North and South America and have some of the same physical traits, each has its ways of living and adapting.
Cougars and bobcats are different in many ways, such as their sizes, how they hunt, and how scientists classify them. By looking at these differences, you can learn what makes each of America’s big cats unique.
In this article, we’ll compare cougars and bobcats in terms of their size, where they live, how good they are at hunting, and what would happen if they met.
If you can figure out what makes these feline cousins different, you can learn more about how two top predators make their niches in overlapping places.
Cougars and bobcats are different on the inside and the outside, and their differences can be seen by their unique characteristics.
Comparing Bobcat Vs. Cougar
Scientifically classified as Puma concolor, Cougars range from the Yukon to the Andes, making them one of the most widespread big cats in the Americas. Comparatively, the smaller bobcat inhabits a large swath of North America across the U.S., southern Canada, and northern Mexico.
The size differential between these species is immense – the cougar is approximately double the mass of the bobcat. Bobcats themselves are only about twice the size of domestic cats.
Even their tails indicate a huge variance in scale. A bobcat’s tail reaches just 7 inches long, while the cougar’s tail can exceed 42 inches longer than a full-grown bobcat!
Thanks to its far larger size, the cougar is exponentially quicker and stronger than the bobcat. However, bobcats possess great strength for their petite stature.
This size dichotomy leads cougars to take down larger game like deer and coyotes, while bobcats subsist on relatively smaller prey. The hulking cougar dwarfs its cousin, the bobcat, dictating differences in their capabilities.
Click here to read more about Bobcat Vs. Coyote
Bobcat Vs. Coyote: Size
The biggest difference between cougars and bobcats is how much bigger cougars are. An adult cougar is about twice as big as an adult bobcat.
Cougars can grow 84 inches long from head to tail, while bobcats can only be about 49 inches long at their longest. Even smaller, most bobcats are between 26 and 41 inches long.
Bobcats also have very short tails compared to other cats. Their tails don’t get much longer than 2 to 7 inches, while a cougar’s tail can be as long as 42 inches.
At the shoulder, cougars are between 24 and 35 inches tall, which is a lot bigger than a bobcat, which can be no more than 24 inches tall at the shoulder.
The cougar is a close cousin of the bobcat but is much bigger than the bobcat. The cougar is about half as long, has a smaller tail, and is taller than the bobcat. This big difference in size affects how they live and how well they can hunt.
Bobcat Vs. Coyote: Speed And Movement
Since cougars and bobcats are very different sizes, it makes sense that cougars are much faster because they have longer, stronger legs.
Cougars can run as fast as 50 mph, while bobcats can only go as fast as 34 mph.
But, given how small they are, bobcats are very fast and agile for their size. Compared to much bigger cats like lions, a bobcat’s small size gives it better balance.
This lets them move quickly and quietly. Lions also have a lot of skills, but because bobcats are smaller, they can move even more precisely and with more balance.
So, the cougar is faster than the bobcat because it is bigger and has stronger legs. However, the bobcat is better at moving quickly because it is smaller.
Each cat has different physical characteristics that help them hunt and stay alive.
Click here to read more about Bobcat vs. Lynx
Bobcat Vs. Coyote: Bite Power And Teeth
Cougars and bobcats have incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, the usual set of teeth for cats.
These teeth are used to cut, grip, and grind food. Both cats have sharp teeth that can tear skin easily. But their bites are different in important ways.
Bobcats only have 28 teeth, less than the 30 teeth that cougars have. More importantly, a cougar has a much stronger bite than any other animal.
Cougars can bite with about 1311 Newtons of force, more than double what a bobcat can do with 548 Newtons.
Even though the bobcat is small, its bite is very strong. But the cougar has a much stronger bite because its jaws are much bigger and its muscles are stronger.
So, even though their teeth look pretty much the same, the cougar has more teeth and can bite harder than the bobcat. Small differences show where they are in the size range of America’s big cats.
Bobcat Vs. Coyote: Senses
Cougars and bobcats both have great eyesight and hearing, which help them hunt and stay away from other predators. But what makes them different is their ability to smell.
Surprisingly, cougars don’t have as good of a sense of smell as other cats. They hunt more with what they can see and hear.
On the other hand, Bobcats have a strong sense of smell that helps them find their food and spot possible dangers from far away. Their small size means that smell is the best way to find them.
Habitat
Cougars may be found in various settings, including mountains, woods, deserts, and even cities, as long as there is sufficient prey and cover.
Bobcats are more flexible and may live in various habitats, including woods, deserts, and suburbs, if there is enough prey and shelter.
Geographical Range
Bobcats and cougars both have a vast geographical range. However, cougars are larger. The cougar has the most extensive geographic distribution of any big wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.
Cougars live throughout the Americas, from western Canada to southern Argentina. On the other hand, Bobcats live predominantly throughout North America, from southern Canada to central Mexico.
Tails
Cougars have long, cylindrical tails that may be up to one-third of their total length, allowing them to stay balanced while racing and climbing. Bobcats have short, stubby tails with a black tip that they utilize to balance and communicate.
Fur Color And Patterns
When we compare the fur colors and patterns of bobcats and cougars, we can see why people are confused.
Cougars often have tawny or reddish-brown fur, a lighter underbelly, and no distinguishing markings.
On the other hand, Bobcats have a distinctive spotted or striped pattern on their fur, ranging from reddish-brown to gray to yellowish-brown.
Legs And Feet
Cougars have strong, muscular legs and huge paws with retractable claws, which allow them to easily cross tough terrain and climb trees. Bobcats have powerful legs and paws, yet they’re smaller and more compact.
Body
Despite their differences in size and weight, the bobcat and cougar share many physical characteristics. For their stature, both have rather long legs, a tiny head, and enormous paws.
Cougars have a powerful, sleek form built for power, speed, and agility. Bobcats are compact and stocky, with a shorter body and thicker hair.
As previously established, both cats have retractable claws that may be utilized for fighting, attacking, and climbing.
Bobcats have thicker, more fluffy fur than cougars.
Physical Protection
As solitary hunters, cougars and bobcats lack the protection of pride or pack and must rely on their physical defenses. Both cats wield formidable assets to either fight or flee threats.
Their powerful jaws deliver biting force to injure enemies. Sharp, retractable claws provide deadly tools for clinging to attackers and lacerating flesh. Quick reflexes and alert senses enable rapid escapes.
However, cougars are more willing to stand their ground than the timider bobcat. While bobcats are agile enough to leap 12 feet vertically to evade predators, cougars are more prone to confront rather than immediately flee, thanks to their larger size.
So cougars and bobcats share lethal natural weaponry to defend themselves when endangered as solitary cats. But the cougar’s superior mass makes it more likely to risk outright confrontation than the bobcat’s instinct to elude danger using agility and stealth. Their defenses mirror divergent size-based strategies.
Who Will Win In A Fight Between Bobcat And Cougar?
Due to its enormous size and strength advantage, the cougar would almost certainly win in a direct battle between a bobcat and a cougar.
The small bobcat would undoubtedly defend itself valiantly. Pound for pound, it has incredible savagery and athleticism. However, the cougar’s sheer size and power eventually overwhelm the bobcat.
More practically, the bobcat would avoid confrontation with the much larger cougar. The bobcat will most likely escape rather than fight if given the chance. Unlike the cougar’s intimidating physicality, discretion is the bobcat’s ally.
The bobcat’s keen claws and tearing bites could cause injuries in a hypothetical forced combat. However, a single well-placed bite or swipe from the big cougar may kill the bobcat. The bobcat simply cannot overcome the size disparity between their cousins.
So, although not giving up without a fight, the astute bobcat recognizes that this is a mismatch and should be avoided rather than engaged when a big cat confronts a small cat, brawn triumphs over pluck.
Conclusion
Cougars and bobcats are apex feline predators with extensive spans in the Americas, yet they differ substantially in size and power.
The cougar has a far bigger size and muscle mass than the small yet feisty bobcat. Because of this size disparity, the cougar outperforms the bobcat in speed, strength, and biting force.
Bobcats, on the other hand, deserve to be admired for their outstanding speed and hunting abilities despite their small stature. Both lone stalkers favor ambush strikes on their victims.
However, if confronted, the cougar’s sheer size and strength advantage would certainly allow it to overwhelm a bobcat. The bobcat is unable to overcome the disparity.
The cougar is a much larger version of the bobcat, with all characteristics amplified due to its much larger frame. This size difference characterizes the feline cousins’ disparate lifestyles and abilities.
