WASSMER ET AL.: SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA BOBCAT ECOLOGY


adult female F9 quadrats containing segments of roads, trails, railroad tracks,
or paths (n = 345) comprised 64% of the total of 540 quadrats but contained
83% of active fixes (X2 = 39.58, 1 df, p < 0.01). The cats also hunted along
open travel ways, but usually carried prey into dense cover to consume it.
Other studies in the southeastern United States indicated a similar predilection
of bobcats for use of roads, paths, and other routes when traveling (Hall 1973;
Miller 1980).


 Marking Behavior


 Frequency of Types of Marking Behavior.- Scrapes were the most
frequent type of marking observed. Of 863 fresh scrapes recorded, 42% (363)
contained feces, 57% (488) contained urine, and 1% (12) were empty. Scrapes
were made by both adults and older juveniles. Young (a male and female) of
the semi-tame female began making fecal scrapes when about 5 months old, at
which age they began to accompany the mother to the periphery of her range.
Prior to that age the young and mother tended to bury their feces in common
sites in the vicinity of rest areas. Deposits of buried feces were also found in
the vicinity of a rest site of another female (F9) with small kittens. Urine
marking was done by both adults and juveniles. Among adults, both sexes
were observed spray-urinating, but only females were observed squat-urinating
without first scraping. A juvenile of unknown sex about 5-6 months old also
was recorded squat-urinating without scraping. Fecal marking by adults and
juveniles was frequent. Deposition sites were usually on paths, bare patches of
ground, or mounds where the feces were conspicuous. Sometimes large
numbers of feces accumulated at a particular site.
 Scratching posts, trees or other places used by bobcats for sharpening their
claws, also may have communicatory as well as maintenance functions. Only
two scratching posts were encountered in the study area. Both were dead
stubs. One of these was regularly used by the semi-tame female near the
cottage at which she was fed.

 Seasonal and Yearly Variation in Marking.- Counts of exposed scats in
February, March, July, and August 1979 showed pronounced seasonal
variation, ranging from 1.1 to 2.5 scats/km in February to 0.1-0.5/km in July
and August. Similar seasonal trends occurred in the incidence of the three
types of marking (Fig. 13). The peak of marking activity in this study coincided
with the peak in breeding and period of high mobility of older juveniles, while
reduced incidence of marking occurred during the period of late gestation and
presence of young litters.