ok... what do you feed them? can they be litter trained? any pointers? how to obtain a permit? where to acquire one? brass tax... let's get down to business. i've wanted one for sooo long and it's getting close to that time.
I NEED INFO, lol.
There is a pretty good business in the captive bred bobcat industry. TO own one as a pet you have to first check with your state. Bobcats are endangered in many states, so those states it will be illegal to own one. If you can legally own one, you have to get a wildlife ownership permit. Usually that requires someone to come and inspect the habitat area you have to build for them with space and housing requirements. Diet is a big issue if you own them. Many breeders will say its ok to feed them just regular cat food, however, for them to be healthy they require fresh meats. In many cases up to 4 pounds of meat a day (they do need to fast for one or two days a week). Only providing meat isn't really going to be enough though, as they will get bored and sometimes show more aggression if they are not allowed to actually hunt for their food (ie stalking, killing and eating like a live rat or such). Simply put their brains need activity. They need some sort of pool or pond to lounge or even swim in. They are much more active at dusk on to midnight. Training can be done to a point, if trained from a kitten, they can be trained to use the restroom in certain places, but males especially like to claim their territory, by spraying and rubbing. If you plan on having young children around or other pets then your only option is to get a female, and even then, young children and bobcats are a BAD mix. children 4 and under tend to like to grab things, and bobcats don't see small children as things they need to tolerate annoying them.
When the bobcat shows signs of aggression to a friend or family member that comes to visit, you can't discipline the adult bobcat without putting yourself and your friend in danger of being harmed. Your home is their territory, and unwelcome guests (in their eyes) should respect their territory and stay away. They also tend to get more temperamental as they age.
Finding a vet to see your bobcat is not easy to find either, especially in bigger cities.
A lot of breeders recommend getting your pet bobcat de-clawed, personally, I think that's a crime. For them to be happy, then need to be able to catch food and climb things (which require their claws).
They can easily grow up to 35 to 45 pounds (about the size of a medium sized dog), so like your fish in your aquarium, you need to give them the space they will need as an adult.
In short, yes a baby bobcat is cute and lovable, and the adults too, but they can be overwhelming very easily.
