Know Your Cats

Alleged mountain lion sightings have increased all across Pennsylvania, but they haven’t officially been seen in the state since 1871. Most likely, those people are seeing bobcats, which are much smaller and number up to 4,000 here.

House cat

The average house cat weighs anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds, and are often 2 feet long, with another 11 to 18 inches of tail.

Mountain lion

Can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds, depending on the sex, and are 7 to 8 feet long with heavy tails — often a third of the body length.

Bobcat

Usually about 2 to 4 feet long, weighing from 15 to 40 pounds. They have tufted ears, very small tails, and often have spots and stripes.

Human

6 feet tall

JON SNYDER / Staff Artist

SOURCES: Missouri Department of Conservation; Cougarnet.org

Know Your Cats

Alleged mountain lion sightings have increased all across Pennsylvania but they haven’t officially been seen here since 1871. Most likely, those people are seeing bobcats, which are much smaller and number up to 4,000 here.

Mountain lion

1

Can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds, depending on the sex, and are 7 to 8 feet long with heavy tails — often a third of the body length.

Bobcat

2

Usually about 2 to 4 feet long, weighing from 15 to 40 pounds. They have tufted ears, very small tails, and often have spots and stripes.

House cat

3

The average house cat weighs anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds, and are often 2 feet long, with another 11 to 18 inches of tail.

Human

6 feet tall

1

2

3

SOURCES: Missouri Department of Conservation;

Cougarnet.org

JON SNYDER / Staff Artist