National Cat Day: A Look at Montana’s Native Cats

October 29th is National Cat Day. According to the folks at National Day Calendar, National Cat Day was created in 2005 by Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate, Colleen Paige.

Since its beginning, National Cat Day has reportedly helped save the lives of more than one million cats through adoption and awareness. While we love our domestic cats, this story is about the beautiful, powerful, and frequently elusive cats that are native to Montana.

Montana has three native felines: bobcats, mountain lions, and lynx. Here are some fun facts, differences, and current population numbers for all three.

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Bobcats in Montana.

The Bobcat, a.k.a. Lynx rufus, is the smallest of our native cats. They're roughly twice the size of a common housecat, weighing between 15 and 35 pounds. Similar to the Canadian Lynx, Bobcats have smaller paws and slightly different markings.

There are an estimated 4,000 Bocats spread across Montana. They're classified as a furbearer by Montana FW&P, and Bocats are the only furbearer that may be hunted in Montana.

Canadian Lynx in Montana.

Listed by state wildlife officials as a "species of concern", Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) are similar in appearance to Bobcats, with longer legs, longer ear tufts, and bigger paws. One notable difference: the entire tail tip is black in Canada Lynx, whereas in Bobcats, the underside of the tail tip is white.

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It's estimated that there are fewer than 2,000 Canadian Lynx in the United States, living in portions of western Montana, Idaho, and northern Washington. They are federally protected from hunting or trapping.

Mountain Lion in Montana.

The silent-but-potentially-deadly Mountain Lion can strike fear in the hearts of hikers and outdoor recreationalists. Puma concolor is found in much of the western US and nearly all of South America.

Also known as a Catamount, Cougar, Panther, Puma, or Mountain Screamer (?!), this is the largest native cat in Montana, with adult males typically weighing between 150 and 190 lbs., while females weigh between 70 and 120 lbs

Montana FW&P estimates there are 2,000 to 2,500 mountain lions in Big Sky Country. They are legal to hunt with proper licensing.