General Information
Bobcats are native to Ohio, but as humans began to settle in the state, bobcats moved out. They were extirpated from the state in 1850. Beginning in the 1970s, however, occasional sightings of bobcats were reported throughout Ohio. They were placed on the endangered species list in 1974. Since then, more and more bobcats have been observed each year, and in 2012 bobcats were down-listed from endangered to threatened in the state of Ohio. Today, they are no longer on the threatened list in Ohio but are still considered a protected species, with hunting and trapping prohibited.
Meet Our Bobcats
Three bobcats, Bitty, Bob, and Diego, live in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Bitty
Bitty was acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in November 2002 after she was found orphaned near Tucson, Arizona, earlier that year. Subsequently, she was raised by a wildlife rehabilitator. Bitty did well at this facility, but she was unable to be released because the bobcat population was booming in Arizona. She became an exhibit animal and found her forever home in the Perkins Wildlife Center.
Bob
In spring 2002, Bob was removed from his litter after being found under someone’s porch in Arizona. He was then hand-raised by a wildlife officer until he was about 8–10 weeks old. At this time, he was brought to a wildlife rehabilitation center in Tucson and raised with a foster mom and bobcat kittens. Unfortunately, even after being raised with other bobcats for a period of time, Bob had become imprinted on humans and lost the wild instincts he needed to survive. Bob found his forever home at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History later that year and can now be found on exhibit in the Perkins Wildlife Center.
Diego
In March 2023, the Museum welcomed Diego—a 1-year-old male northern bobcat. Diego arrived from a private donor and has adapted well to his new home and fellow bobcats. Born on March 15, 2022, he currently weighs 11 pounds but will eventually reach the average weight of an adult male bobcat (15–30 pounds). Diego displays many of the typical qualities of a young feline. He is active, inquisitive, and very focused on the wildlife specialists who provide his daily care—particularly his meals, which consist of specially formulated feline chow and occasional treats. Visit Diego in the Perkins Wildlife Center!
Lifespan
Wild: 8–12 years
Captivity: 20–25 years
Fun Facts