A genus of medium-sized cats (family Felidae) with prominent tufts of hair on the ears, large paws, padded for walking on snow, long whiskers, and brown, gold, or pale fur sometimes with dark spots. They are usually solitary and inhabit forests with good ground cover and feed on mammals up to the size of small deer and also fish. Lynxes can climb trees and swim well. There are four species found throughout the temperate northern hemisphere.