cat species. You probably already know all about lions, tigers, and even leopards, but
although these ten felines are less famous than their cousins, that doesn't make them
any less interesting. Number 10: The Caracal. The caracal, sometimes called the 'desert
lynx,' is native to Africa, parts of Asia, and India.
Its name comes from a Turkish word
meaning 'black ear,' a reference to the distinctive black tufts on the back of its ears. The largest of the small cats in Africa, caracals
can grow up to 40 lbs or 18 kg in weight and reach about 3 feet or a meter in length. Caracals
were once used by humans in India and Iran to hunt birds, but in the wild they will hunt
birds, rodents, lizards, and snakes. They will also kill prey larger than they are,
like small antelope.
Number 9: The Andean Mountain Cat. The Andean Mountain Cat is a small wild cat
native to the Andes mountains in South America. Although they do not weigh much more than
a large domestic cat at about 12 lbs or 5.5Kg, they can grow much longer, with a length of
up to 33 inches or 85 cm, not including their tail. An Andean Mountain Cat's tail is long
and bushy, with dark rings around it.
Relatively little is known about this rare
and elusive feline, but it has been classified as an endangered species due to loss of habitat
and prey animals. Number 8: The Flat-Headed Cat. Native to a small area of southeast Asia,
the flat-headed cat is most recognizable by the unusual shape of its long, flattened head
and rounded ears. It's about the size of a housecat, with a head and body length of up
to 20 inches or 50 cm and a weight of about 5 lbs or 2.5 Kg.
Unlike domestic cats, however,
flat-headed cats have pronounced webbing between the toes of their paws that help them travel
through wet and muddy environments. Flat-headed cats live exclusively in lowland
tropical rainforests, where they eat mostly fish and frogs. Due to the destruction of
the forests where they live, flat-headed cats are endangered. Number 7: The Margay.
The margay is a small cat native to central
and South America. They are larger than domestic cats with a head and body length of 31 inches
or 79 cm and a weight of more than 8 lbs or 4 kg. Margays are skillful climbers and may
spend their entire lives in the trees, catching and eating the birds and monkeys that live
there. Although Margays are not yet endangered, their
populations are declining as the forests in which they live are cut down or converted
to farmland.
Number 6: The Sand Cat. Native to north Africa and southwest Asia,
the sand cat is the only cat in the world that is found mostly in true deserts. Sand
cats are well adapted to the harsh conditions: they can be found in areas very far from water,
and are able to survive on the moisture that is found in their prey. They also have special
long hairs on their feet that help protect them when they walk on the hot sand.
When
temperatures are hot, sand cats will retreat to burrows in the ground to keep cool. They are fairly small, with a head and body
length of up to 20 inches or 52 cm and weights of about 7 lbs or 3 kg, and they eat mostly
rodents, birds, reptiles, hares, and insects. Number 5: The Serval. The serval is a medium sized cat, reaching
a head and body length of up to 36 inches or 92 cm and a weight of up to 40 lbs or 18
kg.
It can be found in much of sub-Saharan Africa, mostly on the savanna and at the fringes
of forests. They are able to climb and swim, but they usually don't. Servals' favorite prey are rodents, which
they can hear moving about with their large ears, but they will also eat birds, reptiles,
insects, fish and frogs. Number 4: The Jaguarundi.
Native to central and South America, the jaguarundi
is a small to medium wild cat, with head and body lengths of up to 30 inches or 77 cm and
weights of up to 20 lbs or 9 kg. Jaguarundis have an almost weasel-like appearance, with
long, slender bodies, short legs, and a small, flat head with rounded ears. They are excellent climbers and jumpers, sometimes
jumping as high as two meters off the ground to attack birds in the air, but jaguarundis
will eat almost any small animal they can catch. Number 3: The Kodkod.
The kodkod is the smallest cat in the Americas,
with a maximum weight of 5 and a half lbs or 2.5 Kg and a typical length of about 20
inches or 51 cm, not including the tail. Found only in Chile and small areas of Argentina,
kodkods prefer to live in temperate rainforests where they eat birds, lizards, and rodents. Due to logging that is shrinking their habitats,
kodkod populations are declining. Number 2: The Fishing Cat.
A medium sized cat native to south and southeast
Asia, the fishing cat is about twice the size of a housecat. Their head to body length can
reach up to 31 inches or 78 cm, although their tail is somewhat short, and they can weigh
up to 35 lbs or 16 kg. Fishing cats are at home in the water, and can swim a long way,
even underwater. They eat mainly fish, but will also eat snakes, amphibians, birds, insects,
and rodents.
Fishing cats are endangered due to the continued
destruction of the wetlands where they live. Number 1: The Black-Footed Cat. Native to the southern tip of Africa, the
black-footed cat is the smallest cat in Africa and one of the smallest cats in the world.
At their maximum size, they weigh less than 5 and a half lbs or 2 and a half kg, and reach
a head and body length of only 17 inches or 43 cm. Although it is called the 'black-footed'
cat, only the pads and the underparts of their feet are black.
Black footed cats live in open savanna and
semidesert. Unlike many other cats, they are poor climbers, choosing instead to dig burrows
to shelter from the heat. Due to their small size, they eat mostly rodents and small birds,
but will occasionally kill birds and mammals larger than themselves. I hope you enjoyed learning about these amazing
wild cats, and stay tuned for more creature countdowns from FreeSchool!.
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