Cat in the Texas Hill Country

[BB_TX]

After 36 years and countless hours deer hunting in the hill country, I saw something this weekend I have never seen before. A small cat, only slightly larger than a house cat. Crept by within 6' or so and never knew I was there so I got a very good look. It's sides were sort of a mottled brown with maybe a shade of orange. Much darker toward the front and rear legs. Short tail maybe 5-6" long with faint stripes and black tip hung down and back up like the letter "J". The most distinguishable feature were the ears. The backs were pure white with black tips. The hair behind the mouth flared out something like a bob cat.
Y'all help me out here. What did I see? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Docsknotinn]

Must have been one of those Ring Tailed cats you guys have /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I just put up a deer blind That I had delivered from down your way. I first used one hunting over by eldorado. See "Deer Blind Project" under photos. You guys do have Bobcats as well dont you ? I would think you'd have lots of cats with all of those Rabbbits ! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Dave

 

[BB_TX]

We do have ring-tailed cats, but it was not one of those. Several years ago we went in to clean up the cabin for the upcoming season. When I opened the drawer in the bottom of the cook stove, 2 little beady eyes were staring at me. I don't know who jumped the fastest or was the most scared, that ring-tailed cat or me. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
We do have bob cats but we have never seen one in our area. I don't think it was big enough to be a bob cat, but then I have never seen one in the wild.

 

[Chuck52]

I saw a bobcat in Tennessee years ago while squirrel hunting. It was about the size you describe, a really big house cat. In fact, I've seen some really big house cats that were bigger. The tail on the one I saw was perhaps shorter, maybe two inches.

Chuck

 

[MossRoad]

Sounds like a bobcat or lynx.

 

[OkeeDon]

The attached picture of a bobcat shows a white ear with a black tip, and a short tail. Could you have seen something similar?

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Bill,

Here is the Texas Parks and Wildlife web page on the bobcat.

 

[BB_TX]

Don & Bill- Thanks for the pictures and links. The ears were similar but had much more and brighter white. And the body did not have distinct spots. It was more mottled than spotty. And much darker color. I would guess it did not weigh much more than 10 pounds. I have viewed numerous web sites on bob cats and most all show spotted coats although some did say the colors are darker on cats that live in wooded areas. All the pictures show face on views so the ear color does not show.
I have heard that bob cats will sometimes mate with house cats gone feral. Maybe it was some mix breed.

 

[TresCrows]

It was probably a juvenile Bobcat/Lynx. J

 

[MossRoad]

An Oscelot, perhaps?
Link to page with drawing