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What do bobcats eat?

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Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) with tufted ears and spotted fur walking through snow in a winter landscape. — feline The Eurasian lynx (*Lynx lynx*), a member of the family Felidae, can be found in forests that range from Scandinavia to far eastern Russia. It is the largest member of the genus *Lynx* and the third largest predator in Europe.

Bobcats are adaptable and opportunistic ambush predators that consume a wide variety of prey. Their diet is influenced by both their location and the season.1

Common prey items include:
* Small mammals: rodents, rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, wood rats, groundhogs, and porcupines.1
* Birds: wild turkey and other ground-nesting birds.1
* Larger prey: deer.1

Additionally, bobcats have been observed catching salmon, stealing reptile eggs, and scavenging. When their territory is near farmland, they may also prey on livestock and poultry. Like other members of the Felidae family, they are strict flesh eaters that do not chew their food but instead use their specialized teeth to cut meat into chunks for swallowing. They are known to cache unconsumed carcasses to feed on later.12