The photographs below are some of the best bobcat track photos I've ever taken. These photos show good detail in the tracks. They are good for learning the characteristics of feline tracks because so many details are visible. Lots of photos, so give the page time to load.

If you want to go to the main bobcat page, here is the link: Bobcat Page

This left front bobcat track is very distorted. The mud here was soft and the animal slipped sideways slightly when it stepped here. You can see this action in the soil surrounding the track. The heel pad was also distorted by the action. This track was determined to be a front track by careful examination of the trail, and several tracks before and after this one. The heel pad resembles that of the hind foot, but a closer look helped identify which foot it really was. This is why it is important for trackers not to make "single track identifications." Look at several tracks, and the overall trail, before you make your identification.

Compare this left hind bobcat track with the left front one above. The front track is wider than it is long. The heel pad is larger. The hind track is longer than it is wide. The heel pad also appears much smaller.

Another nice left hind track. Notice how clearly the leading toe shows up here, telling you that this is the left foot. Walking on a slope made half the track sink deeper into the mud than the other half.

Left front track showing all the details. The heel pad is well-defined. This particular bobcat has an angle to the outer lobe on each track that is unique to this individual. By looking closely, I can tell this animal's tracks from others that are found in the same area. If you look at enough tracks, you will start to notice characteristics like this. They will help you learn more about the wildlife around you and their habits.

Right front paw print of a bobcat. The asymmetrical alignment of the toes and the entire track is very easy to see here. Canine tracks do not have this symmetry. Their tracks are very even and balanced. They also typically show claw marks, where claw prints are rarely found in feline tracks.

Bobcats, and all felines, have large fatty heel pads. These soft pads help them move stealthily and stalk their prey. Bobcats are not made for chasing down their prey over long distances. Canines have the stamina and the claws for traction that allow them to make long chases after prey animals. Felines rely on camouflage, stealth, and quiet stillness to surprise their prey and ambush them. The feet of felines are well adapted to this sort of hunting strategy. With their claws safely sheathed, there is no danger of claws making noises as the animal moves through its habitat.

This hind track could possibly be confused with the track of a gray fox, which often shares the same habitat with bobcats. However, a close look will show a lack of claw marks, and the characteristic C-shaped negative space of a feline track.

A pair of bobcat tracks in an overstep walk. Direction of travel is to the left. The hind track is the furthest to the right. The larger front track is furthest left. Front tracks on many species are larger than hind tracks. This is true of bobcats.

A right front bobcat track in mud that has been rained on. If you look closely, you will see that the track itself lacks the pock marks you see in the surrounding soil. This indicates the track was made after it rained. Paying close attention to details like this will help you become a better tracker.

A nice right front bobcat track. This print shows the toes splayed out more than normal. This is due to the gooey and slippery mud the animal walked through. Often, the toes will splay out to give more surface area and prevent slips. This is one of the terrain variations that can distort the actual size of a track. Melting out of snow is another common one.

Compare the tight toe orientation of this right front bobcat track with that of the track above. The terrain makes a lot of difference in track appearance. This is something to take into account when tracking. The more variables you can see that affect a track, the better you will be at interpreting their stories.

Aging tracks requires a lot of study and experience. It is a skill that develops over time, as you look at thousands and thousands of tracks. This jumble of bobcat tracks has been rained on since they were made. The edges are rounded and some of the track details have filled in with mud washed in by rain action.

A pair of bobcat tracks side by side offers a good chance to study the differences between front and hind tracks. The heel pad of the hind track in this case is nicely detailed and shows the characteristics that help identify it as a hind track. The pad has more curvature on the sides. The two outer lobes are smaller and less robust than those of the front track. The track is narrower than the front track.

Bobcat and domestic cat tracks next to each other provide a good opportunity for size comparison. The domestic cat track is labeled A. The pair of bobcat tracks is labeled B.

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Copyright © 2009, 2018. Text, drawings, and photos by Kim A. Cabrera

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