Description and Behavior
Even more than the fishing cat, the flat-headed cat appears remarkably adapted to a life of piscivory, or fish-eating
(Leyhausen 1979). It has a long, sloping snout and flattened skull roof, and its unusually small ears are
set well down on the sides of the head. It has large, close-set eyes which provide maximal binocular vision, and
the anterior upper pre-molars are larger and sharper relative to other cats (P2 height and width: P. bengalensis
1.7 & 1.6 mm; P. planiceps 5.2 and 4.5 mm [Muul and Lim 1970]; protocone of P3 also more long and
sharp than other cats of Prionailurus: Groves 1982). A more developed premolar is characteristic of
mammals that hunt slippery prey, and provides a better grip (Lyddeker 1896). Finally, the fleshy sheaths
that cover a cat’s claws are shortened in the flat-headed cat, so that only about one-third of each claw is covered
when retracted (Ewer 1973). While the flat-headed cat’s claws do not rub against the ground when
walking, they are always visible. Its toes are more completely webbed than the fishing cat’s (Leyhausen
1979), and the pads are long and narrow, similar to the Bornean bay cat (Pocock 1932b). Muul and
Lim (1970), commenting on the cat’s feet and other features, termed it the ecological counterpart of a
semi-aquatic mustelid, and Leyhausen (1979) has commented on several behavior patterns (prey capture,
scent-marking) which are similar to those of both mustelids and viverrids.
The pelage of the flat-headed cat is thick and soft, and of a reddish-brown color tinged with grey, with the top of
the head more brightly red. Wild adults have weighed 1.5-2.5 kg (Banks 1949, Muul and Lim 1970). The
tail is very short, only 25-35% of head body length (TL=13-17 cm: Yasuma and Alikodra 1990).
The stomach contents of an adult shot on a Malaysian riverbank consisted only of fish (Muul and Lim
1970), and the stomach of a male killed on a road in a Kalimantan forest reserve contained fish scales and
shrimp shells (S. Yasuma in litt. 1993). In Borneo, flat-headed cats are most frequently observed at night
along riverbanks, hunting frogs and fish (Banks 1949; J. Payne, A. Rabinowitz in litt. 1993). In captivity,
flat-headed cats enjoy a basin of water, playing or simply sitting in it for hours. They have been observed to wash
objects, raccoon-style. Live fish are readily taken, with full submergence of the head, and the fish were usually
carried at least two meters away, suggesting a feeding strategy to avoid letting aquatic prey escape back into water
(Muul and Lim 1970; M. Rosenthal, S. Yasuma in litt. 1993).
Although Muul and Lim (1970) reported that their captive cat did not chase after sparrows, the cat at
the Lincoln Park Zoo took live chicks (M. Rosenthal in litt. 1993). Banks (1949) stated that
the flat-headed cat was not a poultry raider, but Guggisberg (1975) noted that the only specimen seen
by ornithologist B.N. Smythies during his 20 years in Sarawak was shot while chasing chickens. In addition, M.
Khan (in litt. 1991) reports that a female flat-headed cat was captured in Perak, Peninsular Malaysia,
in a trap set to catch common civets preying on poultry.
Biology
Gestation (C): approximately 56 days (n=1)
Longevity (C): 14+ years (n=2) (M. Rosenthal in litt. 1993)
Habitat and Distribution
Most collection records for the flat-headed cat are from swampy areas, oxbow lakes and riverine forest
(C. Groves in litt. 1993). No research has been done on the species in the wild; for example, the only
information on altitudinal range for the species (up to 700 m in the Dulit mountains of Sarawak: Hose
1893) is 100 years old. It may be less specialized than presently believed in its habitat requirements, as
indicated by sightings in oil palm plantations in Malaysia, where it apparently hunts rodents (M. Khan in
litt. 1991). It is not known north of the Isthmus of Kra (Lekagul and McNeely 1977, U. Ohn in litt.
1993) (Figure 9).
Population Status
Global: Category 2
Regional: Category 1
IUCN: Insufficiently Known
The flat-headed cat is seldom encountered and is believed to be rare.
Protection Status
Protection Status: CITES Appendix I
National Legislation:
Fully protected over most of its range
Hunting and Trade Prohibited:
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand
Hunting Regulated:
Singapore
No Legal Protection:
Brunei (Nichols et al. 1991; U. Ohn in litt. 1993)
Principal Threats
Water pollution, especially by oil, organochlorines and heavy metals associated with agricultural run-off and
logging activities, poses a serious threat to the flat-headed cat through contamination of its prey. This is a major
problem throughout much of the flat-headed cat’s range (Foster-Turley et al. 1990). In addition,
waterways are often the areas first cleared by people as settlement expands into the forested areas
(Collins et al. 1991).
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