Bobcats breed from February through March.
They are polygamous and do not form lasting pair bonds.
The young are born after a 62-day gestation period in April or May.
Females produce one litter each year consisting of 1–4 kittens, with an average litter size of 2.
The female is the exclusive provider and the male does not participate in raising the young.
At birth, the kittens are blind and helpless but have a thick spotted fur coat.
The kittens are born in a den lined with dried grass, leaves, moss, and other soft vegetation that the female scrapes into the den.
Dens are in rock crevices, under rocky ledges, in caves, brush piles, or in hollow trees, stumps, or logs.
Females may use the same den sites for several years in a row. The female nurses the kittens until they reach two months of age.
At one month, the young begin taking solid food and venturing from the den.
The young remain with the adult female until they are fully grown, usually through their first fall or winter.
Females reach sexual maturity at one year, although they do not typically produce their first litter until two years of age.
Males do not reach sexual maturity until two years of age.
Bobcats live an average of twelve years in the wild, and females produce one litter per year until death.
Although some young fall prey to owls, coyotes, and adult male bobcats, food abundance is the primary factor affecting the survival of both kittens and juvenile bobcats.
Bobcats are an important natural resource in Massachusetts.
