Common Name: Scottish Wild Cat Scientific Name: Felis silvestris
LEAST CONCERN Scottish Wild Cat Distribution: Scotland
Habitat: Woodland
Length: Approx. 80cm
Scottish wild cats look much like a traditional grey tabby cat. Their colour depends on the region they come from but most are slate grey with brown stripes and markings. As they are closely related to domestic cats, hybridisation between wild cats and domestic cats has been a problem. This mixes up the genes of the two species and makes conservation very difficult. Wild cats will eat all sorts of animals including small rodents such as the wood mouse, water vole, rabbits and hares. They will also eat birds and insects.
Weight: Approx. 8kg
Diet: Carnivorous
Wild cats are solitary, terrestrial, and nocturnal. They only come out of hiding to hunt and breed. Breeding is usually the only time two cats will come into contact with each other happily. If they meet outside of breeding they usually see the other as a competitor. When a male and female do mate the female has a gestation period (pregnancy) of about 60 days after which she gives birth to about 4 kittens. They are completely dependent on their mother until they can hunt for themselves at about 12 weeks old. They will be completely independent by 5 months.