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Other Names chat ganté, chat sauvage d’Afrique (French) Falbkatze (German) gato montés, gato silvestre (Spanish)
Sub-Saharan Africa: |
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North Africa and South-West Asia: |
Description and Behavior
The lybica group is the most widespread, and these cats differ from the European forms by their lighter build, less
distinct markings, and thin, tapering tails. The African wildcat is very similar in size and appearance to the
domestic cat, and the two can be difficult to distinguish in the field. In southern Africa, males weigh an average
of 5 kg (n=42), and females approximately 4 kg (n=36) (Smithers 1971, Stuart 1981). The background
color of its coat ranges from reddish to sandy yellow to tawny brown to grey, and is typically marked with faint
tabby stripes and spots. A characteristic feature of this group is a reddish or rusty-brown tint to the backs of the
ears (Skinner and Smithers 1990, Harrison and Bates 1991, Dragesco-Joffé 1993).
Wildcats are primarily nocturnal, especially in very hot environments or in proximity to settled areas, but are also
active in early morning and late afternoon. Studies have shown rodents to be the major prey species throughout
southern Africa (Zimbabwe: Smithers and Wilson 1979; Botswana: Smithers 1971; Karoo region &
Central Namib Desert: Stuart 1977; South Africa: Stuart 1982, Palmer and Fairall 1988; Natal
prov., South Africa: Rowe-Rowe 1978; western Cape coast, South Africa: Avenant 1993).
This prey preference is presumably similar throughout their range (Rosevear 1974, Kingdon 1977, de Smet
1989, Harrison and Bates 1991). A variety of birds, reptiles, and amphibians are also taken, as well as other
mammals, including young antelope (Smithers and Wilson 1979). Insects and arachnids, including
solifuges and scorpions, are frequently taken, perhaps in relation to seasonal rodent scarcity (Smithers 1971,
Stuart 1977, Harrison and Bates 1991). Wildcats seldom scavenge carrion (Gasperetti et al. 1986,
Skinner and Smithers 1990).
The African wildcat is generally recognized as the ancestor of the domestic cat (Pocock 1907a). Unlike
feral domestic cats, which sometimes live in large groups or “colonies”, African wildcats are solitary. Liberg and
Sandell (1988) point out that domestic cats tend to form colonies in the presence of clumped, rich food
resources (such as garbage dumps), remaining solitary where prey is more evenly and thinly distributed. It is
interesting that in captivity, female African wildcats have assisted mothers in provisioning of young with food
(Smithers 1983), a behavior observed in feral domestic cat colonies. However, preliminary results from
a radiotelemetry study in Saudi Arabia indicate that wildcats persisted in solitary habits while feral domestic cats
formed groups around a garbage dump. This suggests that the domestication process may be the most important
factor underlying the sociality of feral cats (Macdonald et al. 1991), perhaps leading to a broadening of
the diet to include scraps and carrion.
Biology
Gestation (C): 56-63 days (Green 1991)
Litter size:
Gestation (C): 98-104 days (Jones 1977, Freeman 1975)
Age at sexual maturity (C): 11 months
Longevity (C): up to 15 years (Green 1991)
Habitat and Distribution
Density is expected to vary widely with prey availability. Mendelssohn (1989) estimated a density
of one individual per km2 in open oak forest on hilly, rocky
ground in Israel. Fuller et al. (1988) reported the home range of a male African wildcat near Nakuru,
Kenya as 4.3 km2.
Population Status
While F. silvestris is the most abundant of the felids, widespread hybridization with domestic cats is
leading to the increasing rarity of pure wildcats (see below).
Protection Status
National Legislation:
Hunting Prohibited:
Hunting Regulated:
No Legal Protection:
No Information:
Principal Threats
Feral cats are found throughout the wildcat’s range. Smithers (1986) reports that,
in South Africa, it is now impossible to find pure wildcats anywhere in the vicinity of
settlements where there are domestic cats. Smithers (1971) comments on hybrids
found in Botswana with white legs and white patches on their bodies, and G. Mills (in
litt. 1991) reported destroying such a specimen in the Kalahari at least 75 km from the
nearest human habitation. J. Gasperetti (in litt. 1993) reports that a geologist
found a litter of domestic cat kittens in the Rub el Khali (Empty Quarter: uninhabited
sand desert of the south-eastern Arabian peninusla), hundreds of kilometres from either
water or the nearest Bedouin encampment. Several breeding programmes have been started to
conserve pure strains of wildcat in captivity, but the strongest hope for survival in the
wild of pure wildcats lies in controlling feral cat numbers in remote protected areas.
Mendelssohn (1989) also attributes the rarity of African wildcats in Israel to
their susceptibility to feline panleukopenia, transmitted by feral cats, which are
generally resistant.
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Occurrence in Protected Areas
© 1996 IUCN - The World Conservation Union