The kittens open their eyes after about 10–14 days and are mobile at the age of one month. It has never inhabited Fennoscandia or Estonia. The African wildcat (Felis lybica) is a small wild cat that can be found in Africa and Asia. It weighs between 7-18 pounds, is 14-16 inches tall and lengths of 29-46 inches. Felis lybica was the scientific name proposed in 1780 by Georg Forster who based his description on a specimen from Gafsa on the Barbary Coast that had the size of a domestic cat, but a reddish fur, short black tufts on the ears, and a ringed tail. [43] African Wildcat range, habitat and subspecies. [1], In Cyprus, an African wildcat was found in a burial site next to a human skeleton in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B settlement Shillourokambos. This subspecies has dark spots on light, ochreous-gray coloured fur. The kittens start hunting with their mother at the age of 60 days, and start moving independently after 140–150 days. [39], Kittens are born with closed eyes and are covered in a fuzzy coat. [24] Males measure 43–91 cm (17–36 in) in head to body length, 23–40 cm (9.1–15.7 in) in tail length, and normally weigh 5–8 kg (11–18 lb). COMMON NAMES The African Wildcat is also known as the Desert Cat, African Desert Cat or simply Wildcat. In deserts such as the Sahara, it occurs at much lower densities. [33] It ranges across the area north of the Sahara from Morocco to Egypt and inhabits the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands south of the Sahara from Mauritania to the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan. [34], The female's gestation period lasts between 56 and 60 days. More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary, Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes. Their hearing is so fine that they can locate prey precisely. It kills small prey by grabbing it in its claws, and piercing the neck or occiput with its fangs. [8], Fables of the Cat Sìth, a fairy creature described as resembling a large white-chested black cat, are thought to have been inspired by the Kellas cat, itself thought to be a free-ranging crossbreed between a European wildcat and a domestic cat. [28][30], African wildcats are active mainly by night and search for prey. This subspecies does not differ significantly in colour and pattern from the nominate one. [26], The African wildcat lives in a wide range of habitats except rainforest, but throughout the savannahs of Africa from Mauritania on the Atlantic coast eastwards to the Horn of Africa up to altitudes of 3,000 m (9,800 ft). Ears are normally tipped with a small tuft. The main threat for the African Wild Cat is cross-breeding with domestic cats. It lies in wait for prey, then catches it by executing a few leaps, which can span three metres. African wildcat definition is - a slender-tailed wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) of Africa and the Middle East that has a usually buff, gray, or brown coat and is typically considered to be the ancestor of the domestic cat. The African wildcat (Felis lybica) is a small wild cat that can be found in Africa and Asia. A dark stripe runs along the back, the flanks are lighter.

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