Bobcats are striking wild cats native to Colorado’s forests, shrublands, and mountain foothills. If you’ve ever watched one move through the landscape, it’s easy to understand why some people wonder whether they could keep one as a pet. The short answer, under Colorado law, is no — and the rules behind that answer are worth understanding in full.
Whether you’re simply curious or actively researching your options, this guide walks you through what Colorado state law says about bobcat ownership, what limited exceptions exist, how local rules may add further restrictions, and what consequences come with violating wildlife possession laws.
Is It Legal to Own a Bobcat in Colorado
No, it is not legal to own a bobcat as a pet in Colorado. Pet bobcats are not legal in Colorado, and you cannot keep a bobcat as a pet in the state. This prohibition is not a narrow rule targeting only bobcats — it reflects a broad philosophy embedded in Colorado wildlife law.
Despite other states allowing various species of wildlife for private possession, Colorado does not allow private possession of exotic animals or wildlife unless specifically authorized by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) regulation. Bobcats do not appear on Colorado’s list of domestic animals or unregulated wildlife, which means they fall squarely within the regulated and prohibited category.
Key Insight: Colorado’s framework works by exclusion. If an animal is not specifically listed as domestic or unregulated, it cannot be legally possessed by a private individual without a license. Bobcats are not on either of those lists.
Most U.S. states prohibit private ownership of bobcats, typically classifying them as wildlife that cannot be kept as pets. These laws are intended to protect public safety, preserve native ecosystems, and prevent risks associated with keeping wild predators in residential settings. Colorado is firmly in that majority. Colorado is among the states — alongside Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, and Idaho, among others — that prohibit bobcat ownership.
You can learn more about the bobcat’s biology and natural behavior to better understand why these animals are considered unsuitable for private ownership.
Colorado’s Laws on Owning a Bobcat
Colorado’s prohibition on bobcat ownership is rooted in several interlocking statutes and regulations. Colorado wildlife law generally prohibits the importation, live possession, sale, barter, trade, or purchase of any species of wildlife native to Colorado under C.R.S. 33-6-109, 33-6-113, and 33-6-114. These same laws restrict or prohibit the importation and possession of exotic non-native wildlife, and noncommercial (pet) possession of regulated mammals has been prohibited by CPW regulations since 1983.
Bobcats are classified as a furbearer species under Colorado law. Under CPW regulations, “furbearers” are defined as species with fur having commercial value that provide opportunities for sport harvest, including bobcat, mink, pine marten, badger, red fox, gray fox, swift fox, striped skunk, beaver, muskrat, coyote, opossum, ring-tailed cat, and raccoon. Because bobcats are a regulated native species, private pet possession is not an available option.
When it comes to native mammals, Colorado’s rules are clear: you can’t make a pet out of any wild animal regulated by the state. That means no sharing your home with raccoons, possums, or foxes, among others. You are forbidden both from taking them out of the wild and from bringing them in from other states, even if they were legal there.
The bobcat’s close relative, the Canada lynx, is equally off-limits. Pet lynx are not legal in Colorado, and you cannot keep a lynx as a pet in the state. If you’re interested in understanding the differences between these two species, you can read about the differences between bobcats and lynx.
Important Note: Even if you legally owned a bobcat in another state, bringing that animal into Colorado would still be a violation of state law. Colorado does not honor out-of-state possession arrangements for regulated wildlife.
If any animal or wildlife is not specifically listed as allowable without a license — either on the domestic species list, the unregulated wildlife list, or the herpetofauna appendices — that species is not allowed to be imported or possessed in Colorado. There is no gray area for bobcats under this framework.
Permits and Requirements for Bobcat Ownership in Colorado
Because bobcats are prohibited as pets for private individuals, there is no standard permit pathway for personal ownership. However, Colorado law does recognize a narrow set of licensed contexts in which bobcats may be legally held in captivity.
Wildlife Park Licenses under Chapter 11 provide for lawful possession, propagation, and sale of native and exotic wildlife through a mandatory licensing process. This includes possession of any live wildlife other than those listed as “unregulated,” with examples including any live mammals such as furbearers and other terrestrial wildlife not specifically listed on the unregulated wildlife list.
In plain terms, this means that a licensed commercial wildlife park, zoo, or accredited institution may be authorized to hold bobcats — but this is not a path available to private pet owners. All live wildlife possessed under the authority of these regulations must be approved by the Division and listed by species on the license. Live wildlife held under the authority of a commercial park license may be possessed only for the stated commercial use, and wildlife held under this license must be kept in a licensed facility unless being transported for sale, veterinary care, or an approved exhibition.
| Context | Bobcat Possession Allowed? | License Required |
|---|---|---|
| Private pet ownership | No | Not applicable |
| Licensed commercial wildlife park | Potentially yes | CPW Commercial Wildlife Park License |
| Accredited zoo | Potentially yes | Zoological park license |
| Scientific research | Potentially yes | Scientific Collection Permit (Chapter 13) |
| Wildlife rehabilitation | Temporary only | CPW Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit |
A Scientific Collection permit under Chapter 13 allows for the lawful possession of live wildlife, with specific permit conditions and restrictions that may vary from permit to permit based on the needs of the permittee and appropriate protection of wildlife resources.
Wildlife rehabilitation permits are only given to people who have adequate training and facilities to care for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife in a manner that minimizes human contact and maximizes the chances that wildlife can be returned successfully to the wild. Rehabilitation is not a route to permanent pet ownership.
If you’re interested in Colorado’s wildlife more broadly, you might enjoy reading about other native animals in the state, including owls in Colorado, hawks in Colorado, and eagles in Colorado.
Local Laws That May Apply in Colorado
State law sets the baseline prohibition on bobcat ownership, but local governments in Colorado can layer additional restrictions on top of state rules. The information from CPW regulations refers to what is restricted by state statutes and permitted by CPW regulations; however, local laws and ordinances may be more specific about what is allowed at a certain location. It is your responsibility to determine whether a particular method is legal in your city, county, or homeowners association.
Even for exotic pets the state does allow, owners need to make sure they are also in good standing with their local governments. Some municipalities, like Colorado Springs, require a specific permit for the more exotic varieties of exotic animals.
Because bobcats are already prohibited at the state level, local ordinances in this case would only add additional layers — not create a path to legal ownership. Laws regarding exotic pets may change with little notice, and even in states where pet bobcats are legal at the state level, they may be further regulated at the county, municipal, or local levels.
Pro Tip: If you are ever uncertain about what a local ordinance says on exotic or wild animals, contact your city or county clerk’s office directly, or reach out to Colorado Parks and Wildlife at cpw.state.co.us for authoritative guidance.
Colorado also has dog breed restrictions that vary by municipality, which illustrates how local rules can diverge significantly from state-level frameworks even for common domestic animals. The same principle applies — and is even more pronounced — when it comes to wild species like bobcats.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Bobcat in Colorado
Violating Colorado’s wildlife possession laws carries meaningful legal and financial consequences. The specific penalties depend on the nature of the violation and the species involved.
For illegal possession of native wildlife — which would include a bobcat taken from the wild — it is unlawful for any person to have in their possession in Colorado any nonnative or exotic wildlife except in accordance with the rules and regulations of the commission. Any person who violates this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000.
In addition, such a person shall be assessed ten suspension points per incident for possessing an animal on the prohibited species list and five suspension points per incident for possessing any other nonnative or exotic wildlife species. Accumulating suspension points can result in the loss of hunting and fishing license privileges.
Beyond fines and license points, Colorado law empowers wildlife officers to seize illegally held animals. Wildlife that is illegally possessed or has escaped the owner’s control, and which is determined by the Division to be detrimental to native wildlife, habitat, or other wildlife resources by threat of predation, the spread of disease, habitat competition, interbreeding with native wildlife, or other significant damage, may be seized, captured, or where necessary destroyed by the Division or any peace officer.
The Division shall consider such wildlife to be a public nuisance and seek to hold the owner responsible for any costs incurred in recovering, maintaining, or disposing of such wildlife, as well as any damages to the state’s wildlife resources.
In more serious cases — such as soliciting illegal take of a protected wild cat for monetary gain — the penalty can rise to a class 5 felony. Violations can trigger serious legal issues, including fines, license suspensions, and criminal charges, making compliance essential to protect wildlife resources and individual rights.
If you are passionate about Colorado’s wildlife, there are many legal ways to engage with the natural world around you. Explore guides to native species like rabbits in Colorado, hummingbirds in Colorado, butterflies in Colorado, and snakes in Colorado to deepen your appreciation of the state’s rich biodiversity without running afoul of the law.
Colorado’s approach to wildlife ownership is strict by design. The state’s laws exist to protect both native ecosystems and public safety, and bobcats — as native wild predators — sit firmly within the category of animals the state does not permit private residents to keep. If you have questions about a specific situation, contacting Colorado Parks and Wildlife directly is always the most reliable course of action.