Blood parameters of clinically normal captive bobcats (Felis rufus)

Data on blood parameters were obtained from 56 (32 female, 24 male) clinica lly healthy, captive bobcats (Felis rufus). The animals were housed under a mbient conditions at the Mississippi State University Captive Bobcat Facili ty. Samples were collected opportunistically between 1982 and 1995. Differe nces (P less than or equal to 0.05) in blood parameters existed between sex es, among age classes (kitten, subadult, adult, and geriatric), and among s tages in the reproductive cycle (breeding, parturition, recycling, and anes trus). Blood parameters for bobcats were similar to reported values for dom estic cats (Felis catus). These results can be used as as reference to indi cate when blood parameter aberrations exist in bobcats.