Wildlifeof China
African Wildcat
Cats
Photo: (c) Karim Haddad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Felis lybica
Basic stats
Diet
Mice, rats, birds, reptiles and insects
Habitat
Deserts, savannas, shrublands and grasslands
Range
Africa, western and central Asia, extending east to Xinjiang, China
Litter size
1–5 kittens
Gestation period
56–60 days
Size
40.6–59.7cm head–body length
Weight
3.2–4.5kg
The African wildcat is a small, lightly built cat with sandy-grey fur, faint vertical flank stripes, dark facial markings and a slender, ringed tail ending in black. Its short coat and tapering tail distinguish it from the heavier-furred European wildcat. Asian populations are assigned to the Asiatic wildcat subspecies, Felis lybica ornata. (Wikipedia, African wildcat species account)
The species occupies deserts, savannas, shrublands and grasslands across Africa and western and central Asia, reaching Xinjiang in China. It is mainly nocturnal, resting in cover during the day and approaching prey by crawling through vegetation. Mice and rats are principal prey, supplemented by birds, reptiles and insects. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic cat, with which it can hybridize. (Wikipedia, African wildcat species account)
Quick answers
- What does the African Wildcat eat?
- Mice, rats, birds, reptiles and insects
- What habitat does the African Wildcat live in?
- Deserts, savannas, shrublands and grasslands
- Where is the African Wildcat found?
- Africa, western and central Asia, extending east to Xinjiang, China
- What is the litter size of the African Wildcat?
- 1–5 kittens
- How long is the gestation period of the African Wildcat?
- 56–60 days
- How big is the African Wildcat?
- 40.6–59.7cm head–body length
- How much does the African Wildcat weigh?
- 3.2–4.5kg