Bobcats have tails! Look farther down for some useful identification tips. In the photo above, a bobcat stepped next to the track of a domestic dog. Bobcats vary in color but are often brown or gray on top, fading to white on the belly with black … Over the last year I have examined at least a dozen bobcat photos people thought were cougars because the tail was longer than they expected. Bobcat footprints will not have toenail marks, as coyotes' and dogs' do. Bobcat Information. The trail looks as if it could have been produced by a two-legged animal. The bobcat’s coat features rather prominent spots, resembling the ones seen on a leopard. Because a bobcat is around the size of a medium-sized dog, its track markings help distinguish it. This species has been around for more than 1.8 million years. The bobcat has retractable claws, like house cats. From 8 to 10 weeks in age, all bobcats have black tips on their distinct, triangle-shaped ears, with white patches just underneath the black. The bobcat’s tail is longer, with black bands around it, along with the dark tip. Bobcat fur is a tawny color and contains patterns of stripes and spots. The dog's track looks longer than it really is because the animal slipped in the mud, leaving a long trail behind the track. That might not seem worthy of the exclamation point there but it needs to be said emphatically. Range: He might look like a wild cat, but inside he's an affectionate, short-tailed lovebug. Bobcat tracks have four toes in the front and back although the front foot actually has five toes. The rear heel pad of bobcat prints are typically in the shape of an "m." Bobcats also often bury their prey and return several times to feed on it, while coyotes do not. Yes, the bobcat has a an actual tail. The fifth toe is raised high on the forefeet so it does … Bobcat (Lynx rufus) Description: Bobcats are medium-sized wild cats with a distinct “bobbed” tail. They have wide faces with tufts of black fur on their ears in addition to spotted stomachs. The ears are smaller in comparison, with a shorter tuft as well. They are medium-sized cats, about twice the size of a domestic housecat. Most wild bobcats average about 20 pounds. Very adaptable, he's a handsome and welcome addition to your home. However, the tail has white coloring on the underside. The bobcat is the most abundant wildcat in North America. To tell the difference, look at the footprints. Bobcat tracks may sometimes be confused with the tracks of domestic housecats although adult bobcat prints are larger than a house cat. A bobcat often appears completely black when it is wet, but only the tip of the tail is actually black. -- Deserts, Audubon Society Nature Guide, James A. MacMahon Like all cats, a bobcat, using its whiskers like fingertips, can "feel" prey in complete darkness, for instance in a rodent burrow. The American bobtail cat, a fairly new breed, combines the gaze of a great hunter with the attitude of the class clown. COUGAR IDENTIFICATION TIPS Cougars, which weigh up to 175 pounds, are much bigger than bobcats, which rarely exceed 45 pounds.