I have gotten - and still get - many requests to put together the information I have posted about Bobcats in one place ... one post ... so this information doesn't require searching out. Okay ... here it is! Enjoy!
As is the case with any of my in-depth articles or classes, I will begin with the head ... the point of so much focus, and usually the first thing most people look at.
Now for the main trouble spot ... the face. This is the thing that gets everyone on trouble. Anatomically accurate mannikins are great and all that - the bodies are loaded with details in the respect to whatever detail exists in the body and legs themselves - but the face ... the face still requires skill, know-how, and knowledge of the subject to create convincingly.
Let's start with the eyes, and the biggest problem for the beginner and with most veteran Taxidermists ... incorrect eyelid shape! More often than not, I see eyes set where both front and rear corners of the eyelids are set on the same plane ... they are level. This is incorrect. In point of fact, the rear corners of the eyelids sit on a higher plane than the front corners. From the front corner of the eyes, to the rear corners measures and angle of 20°, as seen in the picture below.
Bobcat
Canadian Lynx
Another thing that seems to plague so many, is in the setting of the glass eyes themselves. They are usually looking in two separate directions ... not good at all. This is simply the case of setting the eyes ... "eyeballing" them - pun intended - and leaving it at that. The truth of the matter is most Humans' eyes are not trained enough to correctly
see when something is 'off'. The best way has always been to look at your clay work with "fresh eyes".
How? Good question! The answer has always been to hold up a mirror in front of your work, then look into that mirror at what you have done. The reverse image will tell you right away if the eyes are seated at the same depth, are on the same plane, and if the pupils are canted in at the tops at the correct angle, and equally so for that matter.
Another way ... especially in this digital age, and if you have a digital camera - NOT a cell phone ... is to set your camera on a tripod to secure it still, and set it squarely in front of the face, then take a shot of that face. Upload it, and take the time to check all angles and straight line settings by placing a straight edge against your computer screen.
The mirror bit is quicker and easier, but I've also given a more up to date option.
Remembering that good, solid Taxidermy cannot be rushed through, will go a long way to your success!
Now, notice here, the pupil direction is not straight up and down as so many often have them ... they tip in a bit at the tops of the pupils to a 10° inward cant, as seen in this photo. In Bobcat and Lynx - including the Canadian, Siberian, and European Lynx - this is a constant, even when the eyes rotate. This angle is not the same for any other of the small cat species.
Bobcat
Canadian Lynx
Here the profile angle of the seating of the eyes, is seen as set at 90°.
See how the facial features radiate from the center-line of the nose? This is a good way to tell if your Cat's face is in line and symmetrical ... or as close to symmetrical as possible! Notice here the rear corners of the eyes on a higher level than the front corners as mentioned before.
House cats are not good substitutes for Bobcats, in that they are so far removed from the North American Bobcat to be of any real use. They are descended from the African Wildcat and are not on the same branch of the evolutionary tree. The pupil tilt on Domestic Cats as on the African Wildcat, Caracal, Serval, and European and Scottish Wildcat, is a mere 5°, as opposed to the 10° tilt for the Bobcat.
Applying clay to rebuild the structure surrounding the eyes is more often than not applied to thick and too heavy. It is hard to see with all the fur in the way, but all that is required to create the upper eyelid is a fairly thin layer of clay over the top of the glass eye, following the curvature of the glass, and allowing this curvature to show from beneath the clay. The addition of clay for brows and lower lid should also not be over built. In this respect ALL of the small cat species are the same ... including our Domestic Cats. The outline of the upper eyelid is clearly seen in the next image below.
The nose ... plugging paper into the nostrils will only distort the shape of those nostrils. Another problem seen in many mounts, is the appearance of the nose being very flat in its profile, often times with a wrinkled surface and rather pinched nostril wings. To avoid these pitfalls, you must make sure that all interior cartilage is pared away from the nose skin, right out to the nostril wing tips.
During the mounting phase, you must put enough stiff clay under the nose skin and onto the nose area of the mannikin to allow you to correctly shape the nose. This is where reference photos are an absolute necessity!
Personally I have never advocated the use of plastic replacement noses. I have a real problem with those who believe they can just cut off parts of a clients trophy for expediency ... because it is "easier" ... or because they "don't know how to 'do noses'". My answers are these ... this is not the toy business, and that's where plastic noses belong, on stuffed toys; learn how to 'do noses' because it is a fundamental skill; finally ... these things never look right no matter how well one thinks they have glued the skin down. A fake nose is a fake nose, is a fake nose ... they just look fake. It was the same with using the old style plastic jaws unless they were first altered for more realism ... they looked fake.
I did use one once ...
under the natural skin on a Grizzly Bear mount because I mistakenly thought it would look more realistic and natural. In point of fact, it looked good ... but after having the opportunity to get some real good nose close-ups of Grizzly Bear noses, I came to understand what I have preached about these parts for years. They are molded from a dead specimen, and yes, they have the details of the dead, no matter how well they have been injected with whatever they are injected with!
That being said, there are those who swear by them, either as a total replacement or used under the actual nose skin ... their choice ... not mine.
The muzzle is often another point that is sorely lacking in any detail, including but not limited to, whisker setting and grooming.
Think of a small cats face as a series of circles. This is how we are instructed to look at them in every art book on drawing animals that contains information on cats. In short, everything has a rounded appearance. The main head itself, the entire muzzle, even the components of the muzzle ... the left and right side of the upper muzzle and the chin itself.
To attain these rounded features, it is incumbent on you to take the time during the skin preparation to very carefully flesh the muzzle pads, going between the rows of whisker roots, and removing all extraneous flesh there remains on the hide.
Some choose to remove all the whiskers from the muzzle pads, sticking them in clay or on masking tape in the order they appear on the animals face, while others enjoy the challenge of mounting the face while leaving the whiskers intact. If leaving them in, be sure to remove as much flesh as possible from each whisker root, until they just hang in the muzzle free of any tissue. Any that are cut loose and fall off, van be installed in place during the finishing process.
It helps greatly to grind out the muzzle pads on the headform of the mannikin, and refilling and shaping the muzzle pad areas with Critter Clay. This will allow you to arrange the whiskers into the bed of clay as the facial details are being put together.
Another point that seems to be very much misunderstood, is the bare skin of the lower lip ... or lack of it. On the live Bobcats this shows ... ever so slightly ... but it does show. Careful observation and study of many reference sources will reveal this to be true.
More often than not, this little detail is missing on many a mounted Bobcat and Lynx, giving the appearance that the cat is biting its lower lip.
The truth is, the upper muzzle is so full and plump, it actually casts a shadow over the lower lip, giving the impression that it is not there ... but it is!
Here is a late addition ... the Bobcat head as viewed in profile. This cat has a rather nondescript expression on his face. Not excited ... not really sleepy ... just at ease in his environment.
This gives good example of the seating depth of the eyes in relation to the rest of the face ... not deeply set, and not looking bug-eyed.
It also clearly shows the full chin - so common in the Feline face - along with the ear setting in relation to the side of the face,
and the location of the center hairs of the facial ruff ... where the front and rear fur comes together. This is about equal to the location of the secondary auricular cartilage ... the ear lobe, if you will!
Lastly, the ruff around the outer face should always be carefully adjusted, moving - taxiing - the skin forward a bit to set it in its correct position. This includes its placement from top to bottom as well. The fur of the ruff then needs to be groomed up - "fluffed" - as well as extended further under the sides of the lower jaw. This has more to do with proper skin taxiing than anything else. This is quite evident in the above image ... notice the relaxed appearance of the facial skin. It doesn't look taught or that it has been pulled tight ... this is achieved when the skin is taxied forward after pulling it over the headform.
Lastly, the ruff around the outer face should always be carefully adjusted, moving - taxiing - the skin forward a bit to set it in its correct position. This includes its placement from top to bottom as well. The fur of the ruff then needs to be groomed up - "fluffed" - as well as extended further under the sides of the lower jaw. This has more to do with proper skin taxiing than anything else.
From the appearance of many mounts, it appears the facial skin could come forward then down a bit to accomplish this. It is also possible to adjust the head of the mannikin during trial fittings of the skin to be sure all parts line up without any tight areas. You must learn to "make the mannikin fit the skin".
The other part of cat mounts that are many times woefully lacking are the feet and toes. At first blush, the smaller cat species have fairly high arched toes for such small cats when compared to the larger cat species, such as Cougar, Leopard, African Lion, etc., until you start to understand why. The first phalanges - toe bone - of small cats is rather short when compared to the first phalanges of the larger specimens.
Wildcat
African Lion
This gives the small cat species a higher arch to their feet.
The high arch is also visible from the front as well. Also notice the
angle of the claws or third phalanges, as they rest withing their toe sheaths! The reason is because they sit on the
inside of the first and second phalanges.
Bear in mind that the toes of the hind feet are even more higher arched than those of the front feet! The forepaws are also a bit wider than the rear paws. Remember ... the front paws are their weapons and dinner grabbing paws, so a wider paw can inflict more damage and grab hold of prey better than a narrow paw can!
Forepaws, walking ... 
Hind paws, walking ... 
In the end, the most important bit of information I can give you is this ... you need to use references, and STUDY your subjects before jumping in to mount them. You have to do your homework.
Homework never ends! If you are interested in buying some of the best reference photo sets, PM me, or contact me at
john@johnbtaxidermy.com I truly hope this has been helpful to many of you!
Take care,
John.
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