Is it legal to own a bobcat? A state-by-state guide
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a wild cat found from southern Canada through the United States to southern Mexico. Adults weigh about 4 to 15 kg (9 to 33 pounds), with males larger than females. They are solitary, territorial hunters of rodents, rabbits and birds, mostly active at night and around dusk. People ask about owning one because bobcats are native and widespread, and because a kitten looks a bit like a spotted house cat. Grown bobcats are a different matter.
Banned 29Banned for new owners 3Permit needed 13Depends 2Not verified yet 4
State by state
Tap a state name for every animal we cover there. The source link on each row goes to the rule itself.
| State | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Banned | Bobcats are designated game animals, possession of live protected wild animals is unlawful, and bobcats lack a licensed rabies vaccine. Bobcats from outside Alabama are also banned. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.06; r. 220-2-.26(1... |
| Alaska | Banned | Bobcats are not on Alaska's clean list, and the state issues no permit to keep game animals as pets. Private pet ownership is barred.Only clean list species may be kept; no permit is issued for pets | 5 AAC 92.029(a), (c) |
| Arizona | Banned | Bobcats and lynx are barred under the all-Carnivora restriction. No special license type is open to ordinary pet owners. | Ariz. Admin. Code R12-4-406(F)(3) |
| Arkansas | Banned for new owners | Bobcats captured by hand before July 1, 2022 may be kept for life. Whether a captive-bred bobcat can be bought under the native-wildlife rules is not clear from the rules read, so ask the Commission.Grandfathering for hand-captured animals (before 2022-07-01); max 6 per household (Code 09.14). | AGFC Code 09.14(A)(1)(iii) |
| California | Banned | Bobcats are wild cats and all Felidae except domestic cats are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit. | 14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)1 |
| Colorado | Banned | Bobcats are native wildlife and are not on any Colorado no-licence list. Colorado restricts live possession of native wildlife, and CPW issues no licence for pet possession. | C.R.S. 33-6-109(1); 2 CCR 406-11 Intro |
| Connecticut | Banned | Bobcats and lynx are named as Felidae in Category One. Private individuals may not possess them, and state law also lists them as potentially dangerous animals.Category One Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-40a(a)(1); Regs. Conn. St... |
| Delaware | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Delaware's rule for this animal yet. Ask Delaware Department of Agriculture, Poultry and Animal Health Section before you buy. | Agency page |
| District of Columbia | Banned | DC bans possessing or giving as a household pet any living animal that is not on a short exception list, including captive-bred animals. This species is not on the list. | D.C. Code 8-1808(j)(1) |
| Florida | Permit needed | Bobcats and lynx are Class II. A private owner needs a personal-use permit with a yearly fee, plus documented experience or a passed exam.Class II permit, age 18+, $140 a year, experience or exam | Fla. Admin. Code 68A-6.002(1)(b)16-17; 68A-6.... |
| Georgia | Banned | Bobcats are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Bobcat is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.No pet licence exists | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04/.05; O.C.G.A... |
| Hawaii | Banned | Bobcats are not on Hawaii's conditionally approved list, so they cannot be brought in or kept as pets.Not on the conditionally approved list; no private-use permit route | HAR 4-71-6(a), 4-71-6.5(a) |
| Idaho | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Illinois | Banned | Bobcats and lynx are on the Illinois dangerous animal list. Private possession is barred except at zoos, licensed exhibits and similar sites. Breeder permits are not issued for dangerous animals acquired after July 1, 2022. | 720 ILCS 5/48-10(a), (b) |
| Indiana | Permit needed | A bobcat is a wild cat not listed as Class II, so it needs an Indiana Class III wild animal possession permit before possession, with a six foot perimeter fence and an inspection.Class III permit; perimeter fence at least 6 feet | 312 IAC 9-11-8 |
| Iowa | Banned for new owners | Iowa bans owning, breeding or importing wild cats (felids) as a dangerous wild animal. Only people who already owned one on July 1, 2007 may keep it, so new buyers cannot. Bobcat is also a fur-bearing animal, but the felid ban applies.Grandfathered only: a person who already owned it on July 1, 2007 and meets registration, microchip, insurance and enclosure rules. | Iowa Code 717F.1(5)(a)(3), 717F.3, 717F.4 |
| Kansas | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Kansas's rule for this animal yet. Ask Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks before you buy. | |
| Kentucky | Banned | Kentucky bars possessing bobcats. Only zoos and approved institutions are exempt, plus people who held one legally before April 4, 2023, who cannot replace or breed it.Grandfathered holders before 2023-04-04 only | 301 KAR 2:081 Section 6 |
| Louisiana | Banned | Louisiana's wildlife agency says possessing North American native wildlife as a pet is illegal, with no permit available. Bobcats are named in the state's nongame quadruped definition. | LDWF statement; LAC 76:V.701 (definition of n... |
| Maine | Banned | All cats (Family Felidae), including bobcats and lynx, are Category 1 Restricted Species open only to exhibitors, rehabilitators and research facilities. | 09-137 CMR ch. 7, secs. 7.06(3)(A), 7.18(2)(F... |
| Maryland | Banned | Maryland bans possessing, selling or importing any member of the cat family other than the domestic cat, which includes bobcats and lynx. Exemptions are narrow, such as DNR licence holders, and animals held before May 31, 2006 were grandfathered. | Md. Code, Criminal Law 10-621(b)(1)(iii) |
| Massachusetts | Banned | The bobcat is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Michigan | Permit needed | Michigan lets a private person hold a bobcat only with a DNR Permit to Hold Game in Captivity. Animals must be captive-bred.Captive-bred only; DNR Permit to Hold Game in Captivity (form PR1350); pen at least 8 ft by 6 ft by 6 ft for a single animal; no wild-caught animals | MCL 324.40103(1), 324.40106; Captive Game Ord... |
| Minnesota | Banned | The bobcat is a Felidae regulated animal and also a protected small game animal. State law bars new private possession, and the DNR does not issue pet permits for protected wild animals.Grandfathered animals only (held and registered since 2005) | Minn. Stat. 346.155 subd. 1(e)(1), 2; 97A.015... |
| Mississippi | Banned | Mississippi bans possessing live bobcats. The captive game and furbearer rule allows only zoos, vets caring for sick animals, and similar exceptions, so private pet keeping is not allowed. | 40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 8.4(A)-(B) |
| Missouri | Permit needed | A bobcat needs a Wildlife Hobby Permit or Class I breeder permit, and the owner must also register it with the county law enforcement agency under the dangerous wild animal law.Hobby or Class I breeder permit plus county law enforcement registration | RSMo 578.023; 3 CSR 10-9.420; 3 CSR 10-9.105(7) |
| Montana | Depends | The bobcat is a native furbearer. A fur farm licence is required only if animals are bred or sold, so a privately kept captive-bred animal may be allowed. Lawful sourcing is key. Confirm with Montana FWP first.Fur farm licence only if bred or sold; animal must be lawfully obtained, not wild-taken | MCA 87-4-1001, 87-4-1002; MCA 87-2-101 |
| Nebraska | Banned | Bobcats are cats (Felidae), which Nebraska bars. The only exception is a captive wildlife permit holder raising bobcats solely for fur or fur breeding stock, so pet ownership is not allowed.fur production permit holders only | Neb. Rev. Stat. 37-477(2) |
| Nevada | Permit needed | Bobcats can be kept only under an NDOW noncommercial wildlife license, and the license requires a cage or enclosure meeting set fence and floor standards.Noncommercial license (NRS 504.295); cage or enclosure standards in NAC 504.476 | NRS 504.295(1)(a); NAC 504.476 |
| New Hampshire | Banned | New Hampshire lists the bobcat as a controlled species, but only exhibitors can hold a permit for it. Private pet owners cannot legally keep one.Permit available only to exhibitors (permittee category 5) | N.H. Admin. Code Fis 804.05, Table 800.2; Fis... |
| New Jersey | Banned | The bobcat is a game animal and a nondomestic cat, so it is a potentially dangerous game species. Those may not be kept as a household pet except when compelled by the infancy of the animal.Potentially dangerous game species; no household pets | N.J.A.C. 7:25-10.10(a); 10.11(a)6 |
| New Mexico | Banned | Only the Mexican bobcat is named, in group IV. Other bobcats are not listed, so they default to group IV, which also covers furbearers. Group IV is closed to the general public.Unlisted bobcats default to group IV; furbearers are group IV | 19.35.7.10(A)(4) and (A)(5) NMAC |
| New York | Banned | Bobcats are wild cats in the banned family Felidae. Licences are not issued for pets. | 6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(8), (c) |
| North Carolina | Banned | The bobcat is a native North Carolina wild mammal. The state captivity licence is for education, exhibition or science only and is not issued for pets, so private pet ownership is barred. | N.C.G.S. 113-272.5(a); NCWRC Wildlife Captivi... |
| North Dakota | Permit needed | Bobcats are nondomestic cats not listed in Category 3, which makes them Category 2. A state license is required, and a Game and Fish permit may also apply to this protected species.Needs a nontraditional livestock license from the State Board of Animal Health, with inspected facilities, fencing and a quarantine plan; Game and Fish permit to possess protected animals may also apply | N.D. Admin. Code 48.1-09-01-02(2)(b), 48.1-09... |
| Ohio | Permit needed | The bobcat is not on Ohio's dangerous wild animal list, but it is a native fur-bearing animal. A private owner needs a noncommercial propagating license ($25), and only captive-bred animals from a licensed source qualify.Noncommercial propagating license; captive-bred only | ORC 1533.71(A)(2); ORC 1531.01(W) |
| Oklahoma | Depends | Oklahoma lets people keep native wildlife as pets only if legally obtained from a source other than the wild. Breeding needs a licence. A native cat that will reach 50 pounds needs a commercial breeder licence.Legally obtained, not from the wild; 50 pound cats need licence | 29 O.S. 7-502(B)(4); 29 O.S. 4-107(E) |
| Oregon | Banned for new owners | Oregon allows only bobcats held as pets before January 20, 2017, under an annual ODFW permit. New bobcats may be held only at AZA zoos or approved exhibitor or sanctuary facilities.Existing animals only, no new acquisition: pets legally held before 20 Jan 2017 under an annual Wildlife Holding Permit; no breeding or sale; new bobcats only at AZA or exhibitor/sanctuary facilities | OAR 635-044-0460(3); OAR 635-044-0470(2) |
| Pennsylvania | Banned | Pennsylvania bars possessing any wild cat species other than house cats, bobcats included. The only exception is licensed fur propagators, and their bobcats cannot be sold as pets.Fur-farm propagators only; progeny may not be sold as pets | 58 Pa. Code 137.1(a)(1) |
| Rhode Island | Banned | The bobcat is a native animal and a Carnivora with no USDA licensed rabies vaccine. It is listed as prohibited as a pet, and DEM may not permit private persons. | 250-RICR-40-05-3 3.17(A)(6)(c)(5), 3.7(A), 3.... |
| South Carolina | Not verified yet | We could not confirm South Carolina's rule for this animal yet. Ask South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) before you buy. | Agency page |
| South Dakota | Banned | South Dakota bars possessing live fur-bearing animals, which include bobcats and lynx. The only pet exception is for raccoon, skunk, fox and coyote, so a bobcat cannot be kept as a pet. | ARSD 41:08:05:01; SDCL 41-1-1 |
| Tennessee | Permit needed | A bobcat is native wildlife, so it is Class II and needs a TWRA personal possession permit plus proof of legal source. A bobcat and domestic cat hybrid is Class III.Class II personal possession permit ($10 per animal); proof of legal source | Tenn. Code 70-4-403(2), (3)(N); Tenn. Comp. R... |
| Texas | Permit needed | Bobcats and lynx are dangerous wild animals in Texas. A certificate of registration from the local animal registration agency is required, with insurance and enclosure rules.Certificate of registration from the local animal registration agency, with $100,000 liability insurance and enclosure rules | Tex. Health & Safety Code 822.101(4), 822.103(a) |
| Utah | Permit needed | Bobcats are controlled and listed as captive-bred only. You need a Division of Wildlife Resources certificate of registration, and taking one from the wild for a pet is barred.Captive-bred only; certificate of registration | Utah Admin. Code R657-3b-7 and Table 3b-1; R6... |
| Vermont | Banned | The bobcat is not on Vermont's Domestic, Unrestricted or Restricted lists, so it is treated as Restricted. The wildlife rule says no permit is issued to keep a wild animal in captivity except for scientific or educational purposes.Permit only for bona fide scientific or educational purposes (10 V.S.A. 4152) | 10 App. V.S.A. 18 sections 4.1 and 5.1(a) |
| Virginia | Banned | Virginia treats bobcats as wild animals, and possessing one is unlawful unless specifically permitted by law. No pet permit route is offered. | Va. Code 29.1-521(A)(10) |
| Washington | Banned | Bobcats are native wild animals in Washington. WDFW says possessing any wild mammal needs a permit, and permits go to rehabilitators and similar holders, not pet owners.Only rehabilitation or similar permits exist | WAC 220-450-030(4); RCW 77.08.010(72) |
| West Virginia | Permit needed | The bobcat is native wildlife, so it falls under Natural Resources rules, not the dangerous animal list. A DNR pet permit is required, with the animal from a licensed commercial dealer or taken in open season.Pet permit, W. Va. Code 20-2-51; confirm availability with DNR | W. Va. Code 20-2-51; 20-1-2 |
| Wisconsin | Permit needed | The bobcat is a native wild animal. Keeping one needs a DNR Class A or Class B captive wild animal farm licence, and it cannot be taken from the wild. Check local rules.Captive wild animal farm licence (Class A or B); not wild-caught | Wis. Stat. 169.04(1)(b); 169.15 |
| Wyoming | Permit needed | The bobcat is a furbearing animal in Wyoming. Importing or keeping one requires a Game and Fish Chapter 10 permit, and the Department guide notes a related capture license for domestication or propagation.Chapter 10 permit; furbearer capture license if taken in state | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 13(a)... |
Federal law
- Big Cat Public Safety Act. The Act covers lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars and their hybrids. Bobcats and lynx are not on that list, so this law does not apply. State law decides. 16 U.S.C. 3371(h), 3372(e)
- CITES. The bobcat is covered by CITES Appendix II through the family listing for Felidae. This matters to importers and exporters, not to ordinary keepers. 50 CFR 23.13; CITES Appendices
Why states regulate it
A state wildlife agency's general advice on wild pets gives the usual reasons for steering people away from them. Wild animals can carry diseases that spread to people, and injury is a real risk even with animals raised by hand, especially breeding-age males. For bobcats, one study found an average Toxoplasma infection rate of 52 percent, though with large regional variation. There is also a welfare side. Animals taken from the wild miss survival lessons their parents would have taught them, and owners often get the diet wrong. Bobcats are territorial animals that mark and defend home ranges, which a yard cannot match.
Before you buy
- A bobcat is a wild animal, not a spotted house cat. A state wildlife agency warns that hand-raised wild animals can still injure people, and breeding-age males can become aggressive.
- Wild bobcat home ranges are reported from under 1 to over 300 square kilometres depending on place and sex, so no backyard enclosure matches what the animal is built for.
- Captive bobcats have lived to 32, while wild ones average about seven years. If the animal stays healthy, plan on a very long commitment.
- Ask any seller exactly where the animal came from, and walk away from vague answers. Animals taken from the wild miss survival lessons their parents teach.
- Rules differ by state, so contact your state wildlife agency before you contact a seller.
Sources for the facts about the animal: animaldiversity.org, en.wikipedia.org, dnrec.delaware.gov.
Check your own state
The legality checker shows one animal in one state with its source, and exotic pet laws by state lists every state we cover. Related guides: serval or savannah cat, big cat, red fox.
How we checked. For each state we read the statutes, administrative code and agency lists that govern keeping wild or exotic animals, and every row above links to the text it rests on. A second, independent reviewer then re-read the same sources, and a row is shown only if it survived that check. "Not verified yet" means a state's rule could not be read or confirmed, which is a gap in our data and not a green light. County and city ordinances, landlord and insurance rules, and federal law sit on top of the state rule. Read how we check. See an error? Email hello@creaturesincrisis.org with the link.
Quick answers
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in California?
- Banned. Bobcats are wild cats and all Felidae except domestic cats are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in Texas?
- Permit needed. Bobcats and lynx are dangerous wild animals in Texas. A certificate of registration from the local animal registration agency is required, with insurance and enclosure rules.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in Florida?
- Permit needed. Bobcats and lynx are Class II. A private owner needs a personal-use permit with a yearly fee, plus documented experience or a passed exam.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in New York?
- Banned. Bobcats are wild cats in the banned family Felidae. Licences are not issued for pets.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in Pennsylvania?
- Banned. Pennsylvania bars possessing any wild cat species other than house cats, bobcats included. The only exception is licensed fur propagators, and their bobcats cannot be sold as pets.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in Illinois?
- Banned. Bobcats and lynx are on the Illinois dangerous animal list. Private possession is barred except at zoos, licensed exhibits and similar sites. Breeder permits are not issued for dangerous animals acquired after July 1, 2022.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in Ohio?
- Permit needed. The bobcat is not on Ohio's dangerous wild animal list, but it is a native fur-bearing animal. A private owner needs a noncommercial propagating license ($25), and only captive-bred animals from a licensed source qualify.
- Is it legal to own a bobcat in Georgia?
- Banned. Bobcats are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Bobcat is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.
- Is bobcat legal in every state?
- No. In our data it is banned in 29 states and needs a permit in 13. The table above shows each state.
- Does 'no state restriction found' mean I can buy one?
- No. It means the state rule we read does not ban it or require a state permit. County and city rules, federal law, sale and import rules and your landlord can still stop you.