Given a bobcat's range from east to west and north to south do bobcat's react differently to stimuli such as urine and glands in different area? For instance, in the pine plantations of the south where a bobcat might smell a different cat every half mile or so compared to out west with it's vast expanses and greater bobcat territories.

Interesting question. I’m curious to hear answers from the Western trappers.

I don't think the frequency of a cat's encounter with stimuli changes its behavior or reaction to it.

Your question specifically referred to urine and glands. As a general rule, cats react to each of those odors differently, but I've never seen a peer-reviewed study that indicated reactions were dependent on population.

Interesting question. I wonder how you might also take into account the geographic and weather differences.

Would it stand to reason that western populations might have better scenting abilities due to lower population numbers and much more open country? If not actual ability a behavioral adaptation?

Applied practical, LDC type lures east vs west?

I agree with Lazarus on behavior of cats. I have trapped cats in the East, South, Southwest and the West. I use the same methods lures, baits and urines. I see cats behave like cats regardless of geographical location. You may get some varied responses from different sexes and ages during different times of the year / season, but that is going to occur all the time.

I don't believe reactions will vary much in higher or lower populations. Larger populations may lead to more aggressive frequency of visits to toilets and urine marking their home range boundaries. Just some competitive scent messaging basically.

There will always be variables in nature.

Is there an innate, natural competitiveness within felines like there is in canines?

Not in my experience.

Cats are like laid back stoners.

Cats gotta be the dumbest animals in the bush.
Same as snaring rabbits basically.Creatures of habit.

They definitely don't have any caution about them but seem to have the attention span of a two year old when working sets. I think they are creatures of habit cause they are such good hunters that they don't have to go traipsing all over the country looking for food. God gave them stealth not caution to survive.

They really seem to key on structure here. The same big tree, rock, bluff, etc will produce year after year. A given location may have multiple things they're gonna visit, or could potentially visit as they pass thru, so I generally stink things up with a skunky call, and also a gland/curiosity lure. I don't use much urine just because of how much rain we get, but it has its place. Location first, scent is secondary and not as big of a factor on my line.

I wouldn't characterize cats as dumb by any means. My take on cats and their behavior is quite different. They have great confidence in their abilities but also exercise patience and a more deliberate calculated approach.

Cats don't seem to be in a hurry to do anything in general. Look, listen, stalk and leap. On their terms, when in the mood. I rarely catch a cat that doesn't have food in its stomach and some fat accumulation. Unless handicapped in some way or the food prey has died off due to some environmental event, they rarely will starve.

I have seen cats on video just sit in front of a cat set and just stare, smell and look at everything. Some continued to work the set and get caught but some may just mark it or just move on. That is just how cats roll at times. That is why trail sets and walk thru sets are so effective. You don't give them the chance to stall out too often.

It also will depend upon what mode of interest they are in. Have they eaten recently, are they still alert for prey species or are they ready to lay up for the day and take a cat nap. I have caught predators that are just plain pure opportunistic. I have caught a few that have made a kill with an animal in their mouth. They drop it near the set to investigate another opportunity at hand and get caught.

I have caught many cats in open country running fox and coyote travel corridors. A considerable distance from any cover or structure. But as a general rule they are more at home in cover and along water and other travel routes. Just my experience talking. They depend on cover to eat / stalk and to provide them a safe retreat to a tree or other avenues of escape if needed.

I have trapped cats in New York, TX, NM and also caged a little in AZ. All 3 of the south west states have way more cats than what I do in the area of the adirondacks that I live in. I will also agree with most on here that their behavior is the same. Finding one here in NY is more of the struggle. The means and methods to take that cat are the same. I wouldn’t say a bobcat is dumb either. I believe alot of people compare them to coyotes and there’s no comparing a cat and a dog. I wouldn’t say a coyote is a smart animal either. I would call a coyote one of the most cautious animals to trap, some will definetely frustrate you and some of the things a coyote will do will surprise you but they don’t drive and live in heated houses or even have thumbs. So smart? I don’t think I just don’t think that’s a good way to describe them in general. Nervous? absoloutely! A Cat is bold and curious and that’s the difference. So efficient at what they do they need to be in the right mood to commit to working a set sometimes. Where other times they just walk right into a cage and hardly break stride. That’s the mood and the scents and the location all coming together for that specific cat at that moment.


Location for cats is always the biggest factor IMO. Scent, set type all that stuff is really a minor detail once you find a good travel way. They are such creatures of habit a good blind set in a trail or necked down spot in a dry wash. An exposed walk through I think is the way to go. You’ll get the same reaction from a cat anywhere you go = inconsistent. That’s why place that trap where they’re already walking and that’s how you get a constant variable with a bobcat.

Some good info. Now should the types of sets made be considered with population densities? In other words if a cat doesn't smell another cat but every 10 miles would a urine post type set be more attractive to that cat compared to a cat who smells a different cats every half mile?

Simply make a variety of sets in the areas that you feel have cat hunting activity or areas that they may travel thru to lay up areas or corridors leading to or from one area to another. Stream edges, water flow areas, power lines and any continuing barrier edges. I would catch many cats in hedge rows, stored hay bale areas, thicket interiors along or on game and cattle trails.

Trail / blind sets, Rub sets, Dirt holes, walk thru, cache sets, marking sets on small shrubs. There are many options of sets. You just need to learn how to make a few good sets that you can make fit in to any scenario.

I stake very few cat sets unless absolutely necessary like being in sod ground etc.. I usually have many extension cables of different lengths with some type of quick fasteners on each end. Others set I use prefab steel drags or something I find to use as a drag. A large branch / log or large rock I may find to use. Some of these items I use season after season as long as they are still suitable for use after yearly inspection.

I tend to run trail sets and dirt holes with good results in the areas you mentioned Bob, but am wanting to add post/rub sets to my arsenal. That's why I was wondering about population densities an attractants such as urine/gland and whether it influenced it's effectiveness.

Most all furbearers have interest in gland/urine applications. They will investigate, just make it inviting and guide them as best you know how. Like anything, the more you practice, the more confident you will become and so will your success in time.

Don’t know if feathers are legal in your State, but a dirt hole set with feathers scattered around will produce a cat if he walks by. Curiosity killed the cat is a true statement. Squeakers above a set will produce.
I haven’t found anything a cat won’t investigate…when they want to.

I’ve never caught a cat double, but numerous cat/coyote or cat/fox doubles. Have a pic somewhere of two coyotes in sets and a bobcat taking a dump on camera about 10yds from the first coyote. He was caught the next night on a completely different set put in next to his deposit.

Cats are just strange. Sometimes they’re like possums and you can’t keep them out of a set, other times they’ll come by and never break stride. And I’ll even admit a few times on dirt holes meant for coyotes, they’ll take a dump right smack dab on the trap in front of the hole. How they aren’t back foot caught is beyond me.

I stopped using feathers and flagging years ago. Too many birds of prey and others that can't pass up the opportunity to investigate.

That’s interesting, as many as we have down here you’d think that would be an issue. Only feathered issue I have is buzzards. If you dispatch and leave blood, you have to get it up and away from the set, otherwise you have one in your set.

Those birds know everything new, different of out of place about their habitat they call home. Just like when you go home after work one day and the wife has moved all the furniture. You know something is different right off the bat.

I’ve caught a lot of cats on post/flat sets with little if any eye appeal what so ever. One of my good friends from NM told me a long time ago to just use coyote urine as it holds more attraction to cats than what bobcat urine does. I honestly can’t say that information is true because good fresh bobcat bladder urine is a top notch attractor for sure but I can say that bobcats are most definetely attracted to coyote urine and coyote gland lure as well. If I make my best most subtle coyote flat set at a good cat location I feel it’s just as deadly as a dirthole set. I do prefer to neck them down and do some sort of trail set but sometimes not every location lends itself to that method. Depending on the area sometimes I’ll make multiple sets to try and keep good cat sets working and I can catch the coyote in the exposed walk through and the bobcat at a subtle flat set. I think it still goes back to the importance of the location.