Electronic Bookshelf

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Electronic Bookshelf / Electronic Bookshelf.iso / referen / cats / species.cat < prev

Wrap

Text File | 1991-12-07 | 65KB | 1,404 lines

THE WILD CATS R. Roger Breton Nancy J Creek ------------------------------ The Family of Cats Technically, domestic cats belong to the class mammalia (mammals), the order carnivora (meat-eaters), the family felidae (cats), the genus felis (lesser cats), and the species cattus (domestic cats): that's our cat, felis cattus. There are three genera of the family felidae: panthera, the large or greater cats; acinonyx, the cheetahs; and felis, the small or lesser cats. A fourth genus, smilodon, the saber-toothed tigers, just missed by only 12,000 years: almost no time at all, geologically speaking. Since there is of necessity a lot of discussion about cat sizes using the terms "large" and "small," we shall use the terms "greater" and "lesser" in reference to the genera. The terms "greater cats" and "lesser cats" refer to size only in general: the larger lesser cats are larger than the smaller greater cats. The most obvious difference between the two genera is that greater cats can roar and the lesser cats cannot. The ability to roar is determined by the structure of the throat: most significantly, the small bones (the hyoid bones) that support the larynx. In the greater cats, these bones have been partially replaced by cartilage, allowing extraordinary flexibility of the throat and enabling the cat to roar. In the lesser cats, these bones are rigid and roaring is impossible. Contrast the deep-throated, deafening roar of a lion to the snarling cough of a puma. The genera are divided into species. Generally speaking, two dissimi- lar animals belonging to the same genus are considered as belonging to different species if they do not interbreed and produce viable off- spring: they either physically cannot interbreed, such as a puma and a housecat (boggles the mind, not to mention the housecat!); would not interbreed naturally, such as a jaguar and a leopard, which just don't have the right smells and signals to inspire mating; or their off- spring would be sterile, such as a lion and a tiger, whose offspring is a "liger" if the father is a lion or a "tigon" if he is a tiger, but is always sterile. Conversely, if two such animals do interbreed and produce viable offspring, they naturally and quickly become the same species even if they weren't to start with -- interbreeding will do that sort of thing -- though they may maintain enough differences to be classed as separate subspecies. There are some notable exceptions to this rule, particularly where man has interfered. The species Geoffroy's cat, for example, can physi- cally mate with the domestic cat and produce viable offspring, but would not normally do so in the wild, as the smells and signals are wrong and the mating instinct would not be triggered. Man has suc- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 1 cessfully circumvented this, however, and produced viable offspring in a attempt to produce cats with wild-cat patterns. Such hybrid off- spring are usually treated as a subspecies of one species or the other, based upon dominant characteristics: so far, only new subspe- cies of Geoffroy's cat have been produced, not new domestic cats. This is not the case with other hybrids, most notably the Bengal is a domestic cat-leopard cat hybrid. Differing species come about through isolation. If some members of a species become separated from the main body of their species by dis- tance or natural obstruction, they will eventually evolve into a different species, losing the ability to interbreed. All members of the genus felis, subgenus felis, have a somewhat complex relationship to each other. The parent species in this group is felis sylvestris, the European wildcat, who first evolved some 600,000 years or so ago in central Europe (where he can still be found). During the Second Ice Age, he extended his domain into Africa and Asia. As the ice receded the seas rose and the climates changed, the immigrant species became isolated from each other by water, deserts, and mountains. Over time, the isolated subspecies evolved into the Sand Cat, the African Wildcat, the Forest Cat, the Black-Footed Cat, and the Chinese Desert Cat: other species also evolved, but failed to survive. Species are themselves further divided into subspecies (if wild) or breeds (if domesticated): the two classifications are analogous to each other. We should remember that panthera leo azandica (the Congo Lion) has exactly the same relationship to panthera leo that Siamese Cat has to felis cattus. Don't be fooled by the Latin: if a zoolo- gist set up a "zoo" of domestic cats, he'd find a Latin or Greek word for "Siamese," tack it on the end of "felis cattus," and call it a subspecies. It would still be a breed. All felids, regardless of genus or species, have certain basic things in common. In appearance, they all look like cats. While this may be arguable in the case of the Jaguarundi and, to a lesser degree, the Flat-Headed Cat, it is definitely not true of some other families: all members of the canid (dog) family, for example, do not look like dogs (not even all dogs look like dogs!). Besides a similarity of appearance, all cats have retractable claws: even the cheetah, the most primitive of all modern cats, has partial- ly-retractable claws. The most cat-unique common characteristic, however, is purring: all cats, and nothing but cats, purr. For some time it was believed that the greater cats didn't purr: some texts still say this even today. This is patently not true, all cats purr: lions purr, tigers purr, cheetahs purr, leopards purr, jaguars purr, pumas purr, bobcats purr, domestic cats purr; all cats purr, without exception. This alone proves common ancestry: probably pseudailurus, 28 million years ago, or dinictis, 40 million years ago, depending upon whether saber- toothed tigers purred, something our own Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon ancestors failed to note. There are also a whole slew of internal similarities, as would be expected. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 2 Besides the biological similarities among cats, which one would ex- pect, there is one other distinguishing characteristics. Wherever it has adapted, in whatever ecological niche in whatever part of the world, the cat reigns supreme among carnivores in its size class. It is the penultimate hunter, with a finely-honed stalking and killing ability that other carnivores can only dream about. The typical member of family felidae scores in 30 percent of its hunts: no other carnivore, including man, comes close. It is also a merciful hunter, killing quickly and cleanly by severing the spinal column of its prey and minimizing the pain and suffering. Some zoologists break the three genera down further into subgenera based upon subtle or newly-discovered differences. As an example, the subgenus leopardus, the South American lesser cats, have 36 chromo- somes instead of the usual 38, (probably through a fusion of two chromosomal pairs). This is a major distinction, even though it is invisible to the eye and depended upon modern technology for its discovery, and is usually considered a legitimate subgenus. The subgenus lynx, on the other hand, is based upon the lynx and its relatives having short tails and tufted ears, a more obvious but also more trifling distinction. The subgenus of a wild species is given in brackets in the species list, and would replace the genus in nomencla- ture: "felis [puma] concolor" may be "puma concolor" instead of "felis concolor," but never "felis puma concolor." The relationships between subgenera can be clearly seen in the family chart. All species of cats have differing subspecies (breeds), not just the domestic cat. There are, for example, nine subspecies of lions: Panthera leo azandica: Congo Lion Panthera leo bleyenberghi: Bleyenbergh's Lion Panthera leo hollisteri: Hollister's Lion Panthera leo massaicus: Massai Lion Panthera leo persica: Persian Lion Panthera leo roosevelti: Roosevelt's Lion Panthera leo senegalensis: Senegal Lion Panthera leo somaliensis: Somalian Lion Panthera leo verneyi: Verney's Lion The difference in lion subspecies reflects variations in size, color, territory, etc., with the names coming from the discoverer, classifier or territory. The number of recognized subspecies of a wild cat species will be given, but individual subspecies will not be named. One small footnote: don't let the "scientific" name of the various cats fool you. Zoologists are as silly as the rest of us when it comes to naming things, but they hide their silliness behind a Latin or Greek facade. As an example, the scientific name for the common stripped skunk, mephitis mephitis, translates to "smelliest of the smelly." In our own case, the Latin word "felis," generic for "cat," is derived from the older Latin word "felix," meaning "happy," probably because ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 3 cats are not shy about letting the world know when they are happy, which is most of the time: they purr (purring also makes the cat owner feel happy). This means that "felis cattus" could be translated as "happy cat" or "purring cat," and the family "felidae" means "one of those who are happy." Deep stuff here! In order to be fair, and to give the zoologists their due, the Romans did call just any old cat "cattus," and one of their cats "felix cattus." (No, "felix cattus" does not mean "Felix the Cat," though we can see where Otto Messmer may have gotten the name.) The Species of Cat All in all, there are 38 recognized species of cats: six greater cats, panthera; one cheetah, acinonyx; and 31 lesser cats, felis, including the domestic cat. All of them except the domestic cat (and even some of those) have one thing in common: they are wild carni- vores and will often bite and scratch when encountered (bigger ones may also eat!). Count your fingers after petting! A description of each of the 38 species is given. Considerable thought went into the order in which the species should be listed. Most lists give the greater cats, then the cheetah, then the lesser cats, with the order within each genus being either the alphabetical order of their English or Latin names or the territory in which they were first discovered. None of this seemed to make sense here, so we decided to list them by weight and size, largest to smallest. Alter- nate English names are given after the primary name, and subgenera are given in brackets. The weights and lengths shown are for average male specimens of the various subspecies of each species: females tend to be slightly smaller. Please remember that new subspecies, or even new species (see the Iriomote cat), may be discovered at any time. When taking the domestic cat as a species we intentionally chose to use the typical feral cat a a model -- one that has returned to the wild state. Because of random interbreeding among feral domestic breeds, the dominance of certain genes, and the non-survival charac- teristic of certain traits, there has come to be estabished a definite and distinctive species: the medium sized brown or red mackeral tabby shorthair. When discussing the subspecies (breeds) of the domestic cat taken as a species, it is important to remember that several new breeds are created each year, several breeds are discontinued each year, and there is no agreement among "experts" as to what defines a new breed, making the exact number of breeds impossible to compute. As an exam- ple of this disagreement, a blue (grey) British Shorthair is usually classed as a separate breed, the British Blue, but a black British Shorthair is not. Overall, there is a definite upward trend in the number of cat flavors. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 4 Tiger Name: Tiger Species: Panthera Tigris Weight: 200-500 pounds Head/Body: 60-72 inches Tail: 24-36 inches Subspecies: 7 The largest cat and one of the most powerful land carnivores in the world (exceeded in strength but not speed by the Kodiak bear), the tiger is a massively built cat of awesome size and power, with some exceptional individuals reaching 800 pounds. Its distinctive coat is white to orange-brown with black, brown, or grey stripes. Its small round ears have black backs with a central white spot. The males of some subspecies sport side whiskers. The tiger may be found in all types of terrain of southern and south- eastern Asia and of eastern Asia northward to Mongolia and Siberia, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks game of all types. It is an excellent swimmer. The tiger is the only truly striped cat, with a completely non-agouti coat. All other striped cats are tabbies. Lion Name: Lion Species: Panthera Leo Weight: 300-500 pounds Head/Body: 96-108 inches Tail: 24-36 inches Subspecies: 9 The lion is very large cat with a balanced and well-proportioned body and a large head. Its coat varies from tawny to brownish-yellow with a black-tipped tail and black patches on its ears. The males have a heavy body-color, brown, or black mane. The lion may be found in all parts of Africa south of the Sahara and in the Gir Forest of India and, until recently, in all parts of the Near East and on the Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas of Europe, where it hunts by night or day, from the ground, and seeks game of all types. The females do most of the hunting. It has been known to scavenge. The lion is unique in that it is the only wild cat that lives in a group, called a pride, consisting of one mature male and any number of females, cubs, and immature males. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 5 Jaguar Name: Jaguar Species: Panthera Onca Weight: 90-300 pounds Head/Body: 72 inches Tail: 22 inches Subspecies: 8 The jaguar, often incorrectly called a panther (a panther is a leop- ard), is a massive and powerfully built cat, with a deep-chested body and a large head. Its coat is yellowish-brown with dark brown spots in center-spotted rosettes. Some individuals are very dark brown, almost black, effectively masking their spots. The jaguar may be found near water in savannahs and forests in all parts of North and South America south of the United States. The last native jaguar in the U.S. died in the early 1960's. It hunts by twilight, from the ground, and seeks peccary, capybara, coypu, otter and fish. It is an excellent swimmer. Puma Name: Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar Species: Felis [Puma] Concolor Weight: 100-200 pounds Head/Body: 48-60 inches Tail: 28 inches Subspecies: 29 The largest of the lesser cats, the puma, often incorrectly called a panther (a panther is a leopard), is a large and powerful cat with a graceful and narrow body and exceptionally strong legs. It is the champion jumper among cats, able to execute a 30 ft. standing broad jump or an 18 ft. jump straight up the face of a cliff. Its head is small, with small rounded ears. Its has a distinctive call midway between a cough and a snarl. Despite its size, it is a lesser cat and cannot roar. Its coat is a uniform tawny color with lighter under- parts and white on the chin and throat. It sports a white moustache. The puma was until recently found in all parts of North and South America except the arctic, but is rapidly vanishing from large por- tions of the U.S. and Canada. It is strongly territorial, claiming an exceptionally wide range, and is solitary even by cat standards, avoiding its own kind except to mate. It hunts by day, primarily from the ground but occasionally from high rocks, low cliffs, or trees, and seeks deer, sheep, goats, peccary, capybara and other similarly-sized game. It will occasionally stalk livestock when other prey is scarce. It avoids humans and their settlements and farms when establishing its territory, but is not shy about contact when a human moves into an already established territory. It is intensely curious about every- thing in its range, and has been known to enter houses on occasion, even while occupied. In one recorded incident in Arizona, a puma ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 6 entered a house and stole the roast from the dinner table while the couple was sitting there. They (probably wisely) opted not to move nor to challenge its right to do so. Old wives tales and Hollywood notwithstanding, there has never been a substantiated case of a puma attacking a human, even a child, unless cornered, injured, ill, or protecting its cubs. Hunters' and ranch- ers' dogs are a different story, and do not fare well upon encounter. Unfortunately, the hunters and ranchers usually take the dogs' side. An exceptionally gentle cat for one so large, the puma is easily tamed, especially when taken as a cub, and does well in captivity. Snow Leopard Name: Snow Leopard, Ounce Species: Panthera [Uncia] Uncia Weight: 150 pounds Head/Body: 41 inches Tail: 35 inches Subspecies: 1 A rare cat, the snow leopard is a large, graceful cat with a long, lithe build. Its coat is smoke grey with dark grey spots in broken rosettes. The snow leopard may be found above the tree line in the high moun- tains of central Asia, where it hunts by day, from the ground, and seeks grazing animals and large birds. Little is known about this cat, partly because of its rarity and partly because of its habitat: only a brave, mountain-climbing zoolo- gist can study it in the wild. Some zoologists classify the snow leopard as a lesser cat, sticking with the genus uncia, as its hyoid bones are intermediate between the two extremes: it can roar softly (though louder than the clouded leopard). Most zoologists, however, place it in the genus panthera, and classify it as a greater cat. Leopard Name: Leopard, Panther Species: Panthera Pardus Weight: 90-150 pounds Head/Body: 48 inches Tail: 24 inches Subspecies: 15 The leopard or panther is a large, graceful cat with a long, lithe build. Its coat is pale brown to yellowish-brown with dark brown spots in rosettes. Some individuals are very dark brown, almost black, effectively masking their spots and producing the famous black panther. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 7 The leopard may be found in all parts of Africa south of the Sahara, Asia east of the Indus and south of Mongolia, and Indonesia, where it hunts by night, by twilight, and by day in late afternoon and early morning, from the ground or from trees, often dropping silently on its prey, and seeks large or small game of almost any type. A solid-colored leaopard or "black panther" is often of a more agres- sive nature than those with a spotted coat. This is because normal spotted mothers tend to dislike solid-color cubs, often driving them away prematurely. This ostracism produces mean-tempered, intolerant individuals, just as it does with humans. No satisfactory explanation has ever been given for this phenomenon. Cheetah Name: Cheetah Species: Acinonyx Jubatus Weight: 65-110 pounds Head/Body: 48-60 inches Tail: 20-30 inches Subspecies: 6 The most primitive of all cats, evolving some 18 million years ago, the cheetah is a tall, slim, long-legged cat, built along the lines of the greyhound. Its claws are only semi-retractable, and it has a distinctly dog-like muzzle. Its coat is yellowish-brown with dark brown spots and a long white-tipped tail. The cheetah may be found in open grassland and nearby forests in all parts of Africa, the Middle East, and south-central Asia, where it hunts by day, from the ground, and seeks antelope and other grazing animals. The cheetah is unique in several ways, and is the only member of genus Acinonyx. It is easily tamed and trained to the hunt and is the fastest four-footed animal on Earth, often achieving speeds in excess of 80 mph for short distances. There are some few zoologists who classify the cheetah as a lesser cat, on the basis that it is definitely not a greater cat (can't roar) and must therefore be a lesser cat. These zoologists belong to the "you can't have a genus of one" school of biology. In our opinion, this is total nonsense. The world abounds with single-species genera -- the tuatara, a New Zealand reptile unlike any other reptile that isn't already extinct and roughly related to other reptiles the way the platypus is related to other mammals, comes to mind. Some of these zoologists do write books, however, and do get their ideas in print, which is why we mention them at all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 8 Clouded Leopard Name: Clouded Leopard, Mint Leopard Species: Panthera [Neofelis] Nebulosa Weight: 40-66 pounds Head/Body: 36-42 inches Tail: 30-36 inches Subspecies: 4 The clouded leopard is a slim, well proportioned, medium-sized cat. Its coat varies from pale brown to rich brown with large irregular blotches, said by the Chinese to resemble the shape of mint leaves (hence the name mint leopard in China). Its head is banded, with small, round, black ears with a central grey spot. Its underparts are pale or white, and its tail is ringed in black. The clouded leopard may be found in the dense forest and scrub of southern and southeastern Asia, where it hunts by night or day, from trees, dropping silently down onto its prey, and seeks medium-sized game of all types. Completely at home in the trees, this cat is one of the best climbers -- the margay is arguably better, but is nowhere near the same size -- and can run up and down a tree like a huge squirrel. Some zoologists classify the clouded leopard as a lesser cat, sticking with the genus neofelis, as its hyoid bones are intermediate between the two extremes: it can only roar softly. Most zoologists, however, place it in the genus panthera, and classify it as a greater cat. Northern Lynx Name: Northern Lynx, Lynx Species: Felis [Lynx] Lynx Weight: 30-65 pounds Head/Body: 40 inches Tail: 7 inches Subspecies: 9 The northern lynx is a large cat with a powerful body, short, sturdy legs, and a very short tail. It has a large head with side whiskers and large tufted ears. Its coat is yellowish-brown fading to white on its undersides, and may be spotted with dark brown: the presence of spots and the spotting pattern varies considerably between subspecies. The northern lynx may be found in the pine forests and thick scrub south of the arctic in North America, Europe and Asia, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks rodents, birds, fish, small deer, goats, and sheep. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 9 Spanish Lynx Name: Spanish Lynx Species: Felis [Lynx] Pardina Weight: 54 pounds Head/Body: 38 inches Tail: 57 inches Subspecies: 1 Very similar to but slightly smaller than the northern lynx, the Spanish lynx is also a large cat with a powerful body, short, sturdy legs, and a very short tail. It too has a large head with side whisk- ers and large tufted ears. It has exceptionally keen eyesight, the best of all the cats. Its coat is yellowish-brown fading to white on its undersides, and is strikingly spotted with black. The Spanish lynx may be found in the pine forests of the Iberian peninsula, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks ro- dents, birds, fish, termites, and small deer, goats, and sheep. Caracal Name: Caracal, Caracal Lynx Species: Felis [Caracal] Caracal Weight: 35-50 pounds Head/Body: 29 inches Tail: 9 inches Subspecies: 9 The largest African lesser cat and an exceptional climber and jumper, the caracal is a slenderly built cat with long legs and a short, sharply tapered tail. Its coat is reddish-brown with distinctive tufted ears and white markings around its eyes and on its throat, chin, and belly. The caracal may be found in the deserts, scrub, savannahs, mountains and rocky areas of Africa, Arabia, and southern Asia as far east as India, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks small animals, birds of all sizes, and the young of the larger grazing animals. Serval Name: Serval Species: Felis [Leptailurus] Serval Weight: 30-40 pounds Head/Body: 32 inches Tail: 16 inches Subspecies: 14 The serval is a lightly built cat, with long legs, large ears, and short tail. Its coat is light brown with dark spots, black-tipped ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 10 tail, and black ears with distinctive white spots. The serval may be found near water and in the reedbeds and marshes of Algeria and Africa south of the Sahara, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks rodents, reptiles, birds, and small deer. African Golden Cat Name: African Golden Cat Species: Felis [Profelis] Aurata Weight: 30-40 pounds Head/Body: 29 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 2 The African golden cat has a sturdy build, with long legs, large paws, small head and short tail. Its coat has a wide range of colors, from chestnut brown to silver grey, with white on its cheeks, chin, chest belly and insides of its legs. The African golden cat may be found in the dense forests and scrub of central and west Africa, where it hunts by night and twilight, from the ground, and seeks rodents, birds, and small deer. Bobcat Name: Bobcat, Bay Lynx, Wildcat Species: Felis [Lynx] Rufus Weight: 15-35 pounds Head/Body: 30 inches Tail: 6 inches Subspecies: 11 The bobcat is proportioned like a small lynx, with a powerful body, short, sturdy legs, and a very short tail. Its fairly large head has large, sharply-pointed ears, tufted in some subspecies. Its buff coat fades to white on its undersides and is barred and spotted on its flanks, belly and legs with dark brown or black. The backs of its ears are black. The bobcat may be found in most terrain, short of actual desert, of western North America from British Columbia to central Mexico. It is very territorial, where it hunts by night, from the ground or trees, and seeks rabbits, gophers, and other small animals. Prior to the settlement of its territory by Europeans, the bobcat ranged over a much wider area of the U.S. and Canada. This is the wildcat that a mountain man was supposed to be able to whup his weight in. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 11 Jungle Cat Name: Jungle Cat Species: Felis Chaus Weight: 16-30 pounds Head/Body: 24-30 inches Tail: 9-12 inches Subspecies: 9 Possibly one of the ancestors of the domestic cat, the jungle cat is a well proportioned cat with a sturdy build and definite cat-like move- ments and actions. It is definitely a mutated felis sylvestris. Its coat is sandy grey to tawny red with pale stripped-tabby body markings (more pronounced in kittens) with darker, almost black tabby-type facial markings, dorsal stripe, and tail tip. The jungle cat may be found in the jungles, woodlands, scrub, reedbeds and marshes of Egypt and southern Asia. Often found living in and around human settlements and farms. It hunts by night or day, from the ground, and seeks rodents, reptiles, birds, and other small ani- mals. Ocelot Name: Ocelot Species: Felis [Leopardus] Pardalis Weight: 12-30 pounds Head/Body: 35 inches Tail: 16 inches Subspecies: 11 The ocelot is a medium-sized cat with a graceful body, long, powerful legs, and a short tail. Its coat is a soft creamy yellow with strik- ing center-spotted rosettes of black with a soft brown color inside the rosette. The rosettes often link up to form chains. Its head is boldly marked with black spots and bars. Its tail is heavily ringed with a black tip. The ocelot may be found in any type of cover from thorny chapparal to jungle, but never in the open, of North and South America south of the United States, where it hunts by night, from the ground, but spends the day secure in high trees, and seeks birds, deer, peccary, coati mundi, agouti and other small mammals. This cat has a severe handicap in being one of the most beautiful of all cats. As a result it has been hunted to near-extinction for its pelt, in spite of being a protected species in most countries. It is believed that not all subspecies currently remain. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 12 European Wildcat Name: European Wildcat Species: Felis Silvestris Weight: 10-30 pounds Head/Body: 22-28 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 7 An older species, evolving about 650,000 years ago, the European wildcat is in the direct ancestral line of the domestic cat (our cats) and is the parent species for several related small cats, most notably felis lybica, which it strongly resembles. It is about one-third larger than a feral domestic cat and resembles it in both build and coat. It is often mistaken for a large tabby with disastrous results, as it is not at all friendly (somewhat vicious, in fact). Its coat is long and thick, to protect it from harsh European winters, and is colored and marked identically to your basic brown stripped-tabby alleycat. The European wildcat may be found in all parts of Europe and Asia west of the Urals and the Caspian except the arctic. It is not afraid of humans and will live on the outskirts of cities scavenging in garbage bins (much as do raccoons and coyotes in the U.S.). It is very pro- lific and a long way from being endangered, even though its territory is diminishing as more and more of Europe is converted to city and suburbs. It hunts by twilight, from the ground, and seeks rats, squirrels, birds, small deer, domestic cats, small dogs, and poultry. It is usually considered vermin by farmers and villagers. Fishing Cat Name: Fishing Cat Species: Felis [Prionailurus] Viverrina Weight: 25 pounds Head/Body: 32 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 1 The fishing cat has a long, sinuous body, almost civit-like in appear- ance, with relatively short legs and a somewhat flattened tail. It forepaws have unusually long phalanges (toes) and claws. Its claws extend considerably from their sheaths even when fully retracted. All four feet are webbed. Its coat is light brown with dark brown irregu- lar spots, fading to white underneath. The backs of its ears are black with a central white spot. The fishing cat may be found in the marshes and swamps of southern and southeastern Asia. It avoids human settlements, where it hunts by day, in the water and from the ground, and seeks fish, crayfish, mollusks, rodents, reptiles and other small animals. It is the best swimmer of all cats, catching fish by pursuit and using its long claws as fishhooks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 13 Temminck's Golden Cat Name: Temminck's Golden Cat, Asiatic Golden Cat Species: Felis [Profelis] Temmincki Weight: 14-25 pounds Head/Body: 31-35 inches Tail: 19-20 inches Subspecies: 3 Temminck's golden cat is a medium-sized, well-proportioned cat with short round ears, about twice the size of a cat. It has a strikingly beautiful appearance, with a deep-golden coat fading to white on its undersides. In some subspecies, there is an absence of spotting, while in others faint brown spotting is evidenced. An occasional individual will be very dark brown, almost black. There is a distinc- tive grey patch behind each ear, while a white line bordered in black runs from each eye to the top of its head. Temminck's golden cat may be found in the forests and rocky areas of Asia from the Himalayas to the Maylay Peninsula, where it hunts by day, from the ground, and seeks game of all types up to the size of small deer. Flat-Headed Cat Name: Flat-Headed Cat Species: Felis [Ictailurus] Planiceps Weight: 12-18 pounds Head/Body: 22 inches Tail: 7 inches Subspecies: 1 A very unusual cat, the flat-headed cat is omniverous, being equally content with prey or vegetation. It is about the size of the domestic cat, but with a very long body, short legs and tail, and a broad, flat head with a ridge formed by the nasal bones and small round ears. Its coat is reddish-brown to dark brown, with a yellowish-brown face and white underparts. The underside of its tail is yellowish-brown. The flat-headed cat may be found in the forests and scrub of south- eastern Asia, often near human habitation and farms, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks rodents, frogs, other small animals, fruit, sweet potatoes, and other legumes. It often raids garbage cans and gardens, and fills the ecological niche that in other parts of the world is filled by raccoons, weasels, and stoats. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 14 African Wildcat Name: African Wildcat Species: Felis Lybica Weight: 10-18 pounds Head/Body: 24 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 11 The primary ancestor of the domestic cat (and our cats), whom it resembles, the average African wildcat has a more sturdy build and is slightly larger than the average domestic cat -- though not as large as some of the bred-for-size subspecies. Its coat is light brown to light yellowish-brown with stripped-tabby markings. Cats with darker tabby markings, similar to tabby cats, are found in forested areas, while cats with paler markings are found in grasslands. The African wildcat may be found throughout Africa and the Middle East, Asia as far east as India, and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Majorca. It is often found around human settlements and farms. It hunts by night, usually on the ground but sometimes from trees and bushes, and seeks rodents, reptiles, birds and insects. The African wildcat is very easily tamed, especially when taken as a kitten, and many farmers in its range have African wildcats in lieu of domestic cats. Margay Name: Margay, Marguey, Tree Ocelot Species: Felis [Leopardus] Wiedii Weight: 9-18 pounds Head/Body: 26 inches Tail: 16 inches Subspecies: 11 The margay has a slim, graceful body with long legs and a long tail. Its coat is a light yellowish-brown with striking dark brown irregular spots, which may form rosettes. Its tail is ringed. The margay may be found in the forests of the Yucatan and Central and South America, and one subspecies near the Texas-Mexico border, where it hunts by day, from trees, and seeks small mammals, birds, tree frogs, and lizards. The margay is without question the best climber of all cats. It runs up and down the trees like a squirrel, virtually living in them from birth to death -- which is almost never by falling. So well adapted is the margay to arboreal life that its feet are extraordinarily flexible, with the hind feet capable of turning completely around. Its claws are also exceptionally strong and sharp. It is not unusual for a margay to be discovered hanging head downward from one hind foot while it catches a quick nap seventy feet in the air. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 15 Jaguarundi Name: Jaguarundi, Jaguarondi, Weasel Cat Species: Felis [Herpailurus] Yagouaroundi Weight: 16 pounds Head/Body: 26 inches Tail: 18 inches Subspecies: 8 Often mistaken for an otter because of its peculiar shape and appear- ance, the jaguarundi has a long sinuous body, very short legs, a flattened tail, and a long flattened head with a short nose and very small low-set round ears. Similar to the flat-headed cat but even more extreme in appearance. Its coat comes in two color phases, brownish-grey to black and bright reddish-brown, which readily inter- breed, producing young of both phases in their litter. Both phases shade to white on their undersides. The jaguarundi may be found in lowland forests, scrub and chapparal of South America and North America south of the southwestern United States, where it hunts by night and by day in the afternoon, from the ground, and seeks mainly birds and the occasional rodent. It fills the same ecological niche as the raccoon, weasel, otter, or stoat, and occasionally has territorial clashes with them. Feral Domestic Cat Name: Feral Domestic Cat Species: Felis Cattus -- formerly Felis Domestica Weight: 8-15 pounds Head/Body: 12-24 inches Tail: 5-10 inches Subspecies: Legion. Due to the fact that this is a truly domesticated animal, subject to human breeding programs, normal criteria do not apply. Many of the "breeds" (subspecies) are merely color variations of the same basic breeds. Programs are also under way to introduce new and exotic colors and body types, as well as to produce smaller and larger varie- ties of existing breeds. When deprived of human companionship, the domestic cat will revert to the wild state: such a cat is said to be feral. When this occurs, it will, within the course of a few genera- tions, lose most of its man-introduced and artificially-maintained recessive characteristics, and stabilize as a small, muscular cat of a definite type and coloration. This body type and coloration can be seen in the common alleycat, which is merely a feral or semiferal cat still residing around people. Among those features that quickly vanish are the Persian skull struc- ture, the Siamese body type, long hair, and other recessive character- istics. The Persian flat-faced (Pekingese) skull inhibits the sense of smell and decreases visual acuity. Cats of this type left on their own seldom live long enough to breed. The long, lean Siamese body ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 16 type, while graceful, simply cannot withstand a good cat-fight with a 15 pound alleycat, and will fail during territorial and courtship battles. Several coat characteristics desired by man, such as Siamese colora- tion or long, silky hair, are recessive and will quickly disappear unless constantly maintained by careful breeding. Feral cats do partake in a selective breeding program, but their only criteria is survival. The ordinary mackerel-stripped tabby in black-brown or orange are the dominant coat patterns and colors, though there will always be some individuals with solid black or dark-brown coats. All other patterns and colors are recessive and will vanish. Non-albino white is a dominant color, but is poor camouflage for a hunter (except, perhaps, in the snow): white cats are often deaf, which is definitely not a survival characteristic. The feral domestic cat will continue to be found around man. The reasons for this are not as obvious as one would think. While a good hunter and fighter, a feral cat is simply not in a class with its wild cousins. When it leaves the haunts of mankind it is bound to meet up with a bobcat, a European wildcat, or some other kin, and the reunion is usually very hard on the feral cat. By becoming domesticated and accepting cathood, felis cattus has given up his independence forever. There is an exception to this. Where man has already driven away competing wild cats, the feral cat quickly rises to the top of the ecological heap for his size class. The feral cat will hunt by day or night, from the ground, and will seek mice, rats, squirrels, birds, lizards, and other small animals. In times of famine it will become cannibalistic. Unlike other wild cats, with the exception of the lion, the feral cat will often be found in groups, called clowders. The feral clowder bonds together for mutual comfort and affection, but will seldom hunt together or band in mutual defense against a common enemy. It is as though his connection with man has introduced the domestic cat, feral or otherwise, to the benefits of love and companionship, but has not yet overcome the solitary hunting and fighting instincts. A word of caution: don't be fooled by appearance into thinking of a feral domestic cat as someone's pet. Even though it may look exactly like Old-Tom-Sleeping-by-the-Fire, it is a truly wild animal and may very quickly and very efficiently shred an extended hand or arm. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 17 Mountain Cat Name: Mountain Cat, Andean Highland Cat Species: Felis [Oreailurus] Jocobita Weight: 8-15 pounds Head/Body: 23 inches Tail: 14 inches Subspecies: 1 The mountain cat is similar to a cat in size and build. Its coat is of a very fine silky texture, about two inches in length, and of a pale silver or reddish-grey color fading to white on the undersides. It has faint brown or ochre tabby-like markings on its body and flanks which may darken to almost black on its undersides and legs. Its tail is ringed with dark brown or black, with the tip always the body color. Its ears are grey. The mountain cat may be found in arid regions of the high Andes, sometimes above the snow line, of Peru and northern Chile and Argenti- na, where it hunts by day, from the ground, and seeks chinchilla, viscacha, and other small mammals. Leopard cat Name: Leopard Cat, Bengal Cat Species: Felis [Prionailurus] Bengalensis Weight: 7-15 pounds Head/Body: 25-32 inches Tail: 10-14 inches Subspecies: 7 The leopard cat is cat sized and shaped, with a well-balanced carriage and build. Its coat varies in ground color from grey to red with white or very light underparts. It is randomly patterned with dark brown or black spots over its entire body. Its head has strong black and white striped markings. The leopard cat may be found all over southern and central Asia from India to the Philippines, Mongolia, Manchuria, Siberia and Japan, where it hunts by night or day, from trees, and seeks game birds, fish, squirrels, hares, and other small animals. One interesting fact about the leopard cat is that is the only wild cat to be successfully used in a domestic-wild hybrid breeding program in recent years, giving rise to the beautiful and mild-mannered Bengal breed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 18 Pampas Cat Name: Pampas Cat, Grass Cat Species: Felis [Lynchailurus] Colocolo Weight: 8-14 pounds Head/Body: 24 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 7 The pampas cat is a small cat, about the size of a cat, with a broad face and large pointed ears. Its coat varies from a silvery grey, through all tones of yellow and yellowish-brown, to a light brown, with the flanks, legs, and tail banded with a darker variation of the body color. The pampas cat may be found in the open grasslands and high pampas of southern South America east of the Andes, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks birds, cavies and other small animals. Chinese Desert Cat Name: Chinese Desert Cat Species: Felis Bieti Weight: 12 pounds Head/Body: 30 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 3 A very rare cat, the Chinese desert cat is a well-proportioned cat- sized cat. Like the sand cat, the soles of its feet are covered with thick mats of fur to protect it from the hot sands. Its coat is sandy brown with distinctive darker brown spots set in wide-spaced vertical rows. Its undersides are very pale. The Chinese desert cat may be found in the deserts, steppes, scrub and mountains of Mongolia and China, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks small rodents and reptiles. Iriomote Cat Name: Iriomote Cat Species: Felis [Mayailurus] Iriomotensis Weight: 12 pounds Head/Body: 23 inches Tail: 8 inches Subspecies: 1 A very rare cat, discovered in 1964, the Iriomote cat has a long body with short legs and tail. Its coat is brown with lines on its neck that end at its shoulders and black spots that merge into lines on its flanks. Its ears are black with white spots. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 19 The Iriomote cat may be found only on the small island of Iriomote, off the coast of Taiwan, where it hunts by night, from trees, and seeks birds and small mammals. The discovery so recently of the Iriomote cat caused a considerable stir in zoological circles. It should be taken as notice that we certainly don't know all there is to know. Marbled Cat Name: Marbled Cat Species: Felis [Pardofelis] Marmorata Weight: 12 pounds Head/Body: 21 inches Tail: 15 inches Subspecies: 2 A rare cat, the marbled cat resembles a long-tailed cat in size and build. Its beautiful, striking coat is pale brown, with irregular slightly darker brown blotches sharply outlined in dark brown or black. Its long cylindrical tail is full from rump to tip and carries its body pattern. The marbled cat may be found in the forests of the Maylay peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and some neighboring small islands, where it hunts by day, from trees, and seeks birds and eggs. Pallas' Cat Name: Pallas' Cat, Manul Species: Felis [Otocolobus] Manul Weight: 7-12 pounds Head/Body: 22 inches Tail: 10 inches Subspecies: 3 The oldest living species of cat, evolving some 10 million years ago, Pallas' cat is similar to the lynx in facial structure, with a large, sturdy body and short legs. Its head is short and broad, with large round eyes and blunt wide-set ears. Its long, silky coat varies in color from light grey to russet brown, with white tips to its hairs giving a sparkling, almost irridescent appearance. There are dark lines on its cheeks, rings on its tail, and its lips, chin, and throat are white. The Pallas' cat may be found on the rocky plateaux and river banks of central Asia, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks small mammals and birds. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 20 Rusty-Spotted Cat Name: Rusty-Spotted Cat Species: Felis [Prionailurus] Rubiginosa Weight: 6-9 pounds Head/Body: 17 inches Tail: 7 inches Subspecies: 2 The rusty-spotted cat is a small cat with small round ears and a short tail. Its soft, short coat is grey with a reddish tinge on top and a pale underside. There are reddish spots scattered randomly over its body and reddish stripes on its head. Its face has distinctive white and dark markings. The soles of its feet are black. The rusty-spotted cat may be found in the forests, scrub, dried river- beds and drainage systems of India and Sri Lanka, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks small mammals and birds. Tiger Cat Name: Tiger Cat, Tiger Ocelot Species: Felis [Leopardus] Tigrina Weight: 5-8 pounds Head/Body: 22 inches Tail: 13 inches Subspecies: 4 The tiger cat has a slim, graceful body with long legs and a long tail. Its coat is a light yellowish-brown with striking dark brown spots, which may form rosettes or chains of rosettes. Its tail is ringed. The tiger cat may be found in the forests of Central and South Ameri- ca, where it hunts by day and by twilight, from trees, and seeks small rodents and birds. Geoffroy's Cat Name: Geoffroy's Cat, Geoffroy's Ocelot Species: Felis [Leopardus] Geoffroyi Weight: 6 pounds Head/Body: 20 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 5 The Geoffroy's cat is a small cat with a well-proportioned body and head. Its coat varies from silver grey to ochre and is covered all over with equally-placed small dark brown or black spots. On the shoulders and flanks of some individuals the spots may merge to form rosettes or bars. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 21 The Geoffroy's cat may be found in the open brushlands and scrub of South America south of the Amazon basin and East of the Andes, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks small mammals and birds. The Geoffroy's cat is an exceptionally mild-tempered cat, and has been bred with the domestic cat in an effort to produce a tame but wild- looking hybrid. Sand Cat Name: Sand Cat Species: Felis Margarita Weight: 5-6 pounds Head/Body: 20 inches Tail: 12 inches Subspecies: 4 The sand cat is a small cat with short legs and a very broad head with low-set ears and full cheeks. The soles of its feet are protected from hot sands by having a thick mat of fur. Its coat is a plain yellowish-brown to greyish-brown, slightly darker towards its spine and lighter underneath. The sand cat may be found in the semi-desert regions of northern African and the Middle East, where it hunts by night and twilight, from the ground, and seeks small rodents and reptiles. Bay Cat Name: Bay Cat, Bornean Red Cat Species: Felis [Pardofelis] Badia Weight: 5 pounds Head/Body: 20 inches Tail: 15 inches Subspecies: 1 A small, very rare cat, the bay cat has a slender body with an excep- tionally long tail and a round head with small rounded ears. Its coat is reddish-brown (chestnut) with a pale undersides and significantly darker ears. There are faint spots on its undersides and limbs and suggestions of lines in its face. The bay cat may be found only in rocky and scrub areas of the island of Borneo, where it hunts by night, from the ground, and seeks small rodents and birds. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 22 Kodkod Name: Kodkod, Huina Species: Felis [Oncifelis] Guigna Weight: 4.5 lbs Head/Body: 18 inches Tail: 8 in. body Subspecies: 2 The kodkod is the smallest cat in the Western Hemisphere. Its coat is buff with heavy black spots. There are black bands on its legs, and its ears are black with a white spot. The kodkod may be found in the forests of Chile and Patagonia, where it hunts by night, from the ground though it is an excellent climber, and seeks small rodents and birds. Black-Footed Cat Name: Black-Footed Cat Species: Felis Negripes Weight: 2.5-4.5 pounds Head/Body: 14-18 inches Tail: 6-7 inches Subspecies: 2 The black-footed cat is the smallest African cat, possibly the small- est cat in the world. Its coat is light brown, slightly darker on top, with dark brown or black spots, streaked on its cheeks, throat, chest and belly, and with transverse bars on its forlegs and haunches. Its feet have black soles. The black-footed cat may be found in the deserts and savannahs of southern Africa, where it hunts by night and twilight, from the ground, and seeks small rodents, birds, reptiles, and insects. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wild Cats Page 23