Lynx and bobcats are close cousins and look very similar, but you can tell them apart by their build, tail, ear tufts, coat, and where they live.

Quick Scoop

The ultra-short version

If you only remember one thing:

  • A lynx looks leggier, fluffier, with big snow‑shoe paws and a fully black‑tipped tail.
  • A bobcat looks more like a beefed‑up house cat, with a banded tail that’s black on top and white underneath and a more reddish, spotted coat.

Side‑by‑side at a glance

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Feature Lynx Bobcat
Overall build Taller, long-legged, looks high off the ground, especially in the hind legs.More compact, lower to the ground, looks closer to a large house cat.
Paws Very large, fluffy “snowshoe” paws for deep snow.Noticeably smaller paws, less fluffy.
Tail tip Short tail with tip that is solid black all the way around.Short “bobbed” tail with black on the top of the tip and white underneath, often with banding.
Ears & tufts Long, dramatic black ear tufts; full “sideburns” of cheek fur.Shorter ear tufts; facial ruff is present but less extravagant.
Coat color Greyer, cooler tones; spotting is faint or sparse, especially in Canada lynx.More reddish‑brown or tawny; spots and streaks are usually stronger and more obvious.
Typical size Slightly larger on average; can look bulkier because of long legs and thick fur.Smallest of the lynx group, though big individuals can overlap in size with lynx.
Habitat focus Colder, snowier forests; strongly associated with snowshoe hares (e.g., Canada lynx).More flexible; found from forests to deserts and scrubby areas, often warmer, more varied climates.
Hunting style Often waits and ambushes, especially in deep snow.More generalist and opportunistic, bold short chases and pounces on varied prey.

Mini‑sections: How to tell them apart fast

1. Tail: the easiest field ID

Many wildlife biologists say the tail tip is your quickest clue.

  • Lynx: Tail is short with a solid black tip all the way around.
  • Bobcat: Tail looks “banded,” with black on top and white on the underside of the tip.

If you only caught a glimpse of the rear end disappearing into the trees, that little color pattern can decide your ID.

2. Legs, paws, and overall posture

Lynx are built for snow; bobcats are built for mixed terrain.

  • Lynx:
    • Very long hind legs.
    • Huge, rounded, heavily furred paws that act like snowshoes.
    • Silhouette looks taller and “stilted,” especially in deep snow.
  • Bobcat:
    • Shorter legs with a more even front‑to‑back profile.
    • Smaller paws with less fluff.
    • Body outline sits lower, closer to a powerful, overgrown house cat.

A popular forum tip: in snowy regions, if the cat looks like it’s “floating” on top of the snow with giant feet, people tend to lean lynx.

3. Face, ears, and “attitude”

Both cats have cheek ruffs and ear tufts, but lynx dial it up.

  • Lynx:
    • Longer black ear tufts that really stand out.
    • Deep, fluffy cheek ruffs that look like sideburns.
    • Gives a somewhat mystical, “otherworldly” expression.
  • Bobcat:
    • Ear tufts are shorter and less dramatic.
    • Facial ruff is present but neater and not as exaggerated.

Think of a lynx as having a built‑in winter parka hood, while a bobcat is wearing a lighter jacket.

4. Coat color and spotting

Color can vary by region, but the pattern trend is useful.

  • Lynx:
    • Usually greyish, silvery, or buff, with subtle spots or mottling.
    • Canada lynx especially can look almost uniformly grey in winter.
  • Bobcat:
    • Often more reddish or tawny.
    • Darker, clearer spots and streaks, especially on legs and flanks.

If the coat looks bold and “leopard‑spotted,” bobcat is more likely; if it’s ghosted, soft, and grey, lynx is a good bet.

5. Where you are and what they hunt

Location and prey also help, especially in North America.

  • Lynx (e.g., Canada lynx):
    • Strongly tied to boreal forests and deep‑snow environments.
    • Diet leans heavily on snowshoe hares.
  • Bobcat:
    • Much broader range, including forests, swamps, scrub, farmland, and even edges of suburbs.
    • Diet is varied: rabbits, rodents, birds, sometimes even deer, depending on size and opportunity.

If you’re in warmer, open, or very mixed habitat in the U.S., odds favor bobcat; in remote, snowy northern forest, odds tilt toward lynx.

Forum and “trending” angle

Wildlife and outdoors forums regularly see photo posts titled “Bobcat or lynx?” because people’s trail cams and phones catch quick glimpses.

Typical community advice in those threads:

  1. Check the tail tip pattern first.
  2. Look at paw size and fluff if snow is visible.
  3. Study ear tufts and cheek ruffs in zoomed‑in stills.
  4. Consider location and habitat (e.g., deep northern snow vs scrub or woodland edges).

Many users report that after learning those cues, they start noticing how “obviously different” the two cats feel in photos, even though at first they looked nearly identical.

TL;DR

  • Lynx = taller legs, giant fluffy paws, long ear tufts, grey coat, solid black tail tip , colder snowy habitats.
  • Bobcat = more compact, smaller paws, shorter tufts, redder and more strongly spotted coat, black‑on‑top/white‑under tail tip , wider range of habitats and prey.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.