Mary Allen
Wild cats are the wild relatives of our house cats. However, they are slightly larger and plumper than their tamed relatives.
Characteristics
What do wildcats look like?
Wildcats look a lot like our grey-brown tabby domestic cats. However, they are a bit larger: from head to bottom they measure 50 to 80 centimeters, the tail can be 28 to 35 centimeters long. From the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, large wild cats can be up to 115 centimeters long. They weigh four to five kilograms.
You can tell them apart from the domestic cat by their bushy tail: it has much thicker hair, its end is blunt, not pointed, and the end is always black. Their fur is also thicker; after all, they have to endure being outside when it gets colder. The color of their fur is creamy yellow to ocher and it is finely striped. Wild cats have a white spot on their throats. Like all cats, they can retract their claws.
Because wild cats can mate and have young with our domestic cats, there are many that look very much like domestic cats and are therefore almost indistinguishable from them.
Where do wild cats live?
Wild cats live from Europe through Africa to south-west Asia. Only Iceland, Ireland, and Scandinavia do not have wild cats. Wild cats love large deciduous and mixed forests and live primarily in areas where winter is mild. They need a habitat with lots of bushes and rocks where they can find good hiding places and plenty of food.
What wildcat species are there?
Wild cats are divided into three groups that live in different regions and differ somewhat in appearance. The forest cat type lives in Europe and Turkey, the steppe cat in Asia, and the slightly lighter colored wild cat in Africa, from which our domestic cats descend.
How old do wildcats get?
Wildcats can live 10 to 16 years.
Behave
How do wildcats live?
Wild cats are very shy. They live as loners or in maternal families, which means that the mother lives with her young. Sometimes pairs of wild cats live together. They are mostly active at dusk and at night, sometimes when they are not disturbed, but also during the day. They mark their 60 to 70-hectare territory with urine; this scent brand is said to keep other wild cats away. As a camp, they look for a rock or burrow, or they hide under large roots.
Wild cats move mainly on the ground, but they are also good at climbing trees. They like to lie in wait on rocks or trees or sunbathe. Although they are good at fishing and like to eat fish, like all cats they are afraid of water. Wild cats are most likely to be seen here in the fall when they hunt and eat far more than usual to munch on the fat they need for the winter.
At dusk and at night, wild cats can see very well with their large pupils; they also have excellent hearing. Like all cats, they are very clean animals: they like to clean themselves and take great care of their fur.
Friends and foes of the wild cats
Where they still exist, lynx, wolf, badger, and fox can become dangerous to wild cats. It was hunted by humans for a long time because it was considered a harmful predator.
How do wildcats reproduce?
February or March is mating season for wildcats. After eight to nine weeks, the mother cat gives birth to two to five kittens in a sheltered spot. They only weigh 135 grams and only open their eyes after ten days. They are nursed by their mother for a month. After three to four months they are independent. But since hunting is not easy, they continue to hunt with their mother for a while until they have learned all the tricks, jumps, and bites that are necessary for a successful hunt. At the age of one year, they are adults and can have their own young.
How do wildcats hunt?
Like our domestic cats, wild cats lurk in front of mouse holes or silently sneak up on other small animals. They pounce on their prey with a leap, grab it with their claws, and then kill it with a bite to the neck.
How do wildcats communicate?
Wild cats meow like our house cats, but their voice sounds a bit deeper. They also growl and hiss when they’re angry – and purr when they’re happy. When they argue, they let out terrible screams. Like our domestic tomcats, wildcat tomcats let their screeching, howling song sound during the mating season.
Care
What do wildcats eat?
Mice are the wildcat’s most important food. They also hunt rabbits, hares, and small birds. But also voles, cockchafers, and grasshoppers. Rarely does a sick, weak deer become their prey. Wild cats mainly eat meat – only very rarely do they snack on fruit.