Except at both poles of the planet, there are wild cats on every continent. In this article on our site we will expose some varieties of them, except for the big cats. We will only show you small felines similar in size to our domestic cats.
Keep reading this article on types of wild cats to know in detail the most common in Australia and Africa, see impressive photos, know their diet, which ones are in danger of extinction or which ones can be tamed. You will find all the information about wild cats here, on our site.
South American Wild Cats
As usual, Latin America stands out for its rich wild fauna, present throughout the continent. We highlight two wild cats:
- The South American wildcat, Chaco wildcat or Leopardus geoffroyi, is the most widespread feline in the South American continent. There are four subspecies that are distributed from the south of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru to the Patagonian moors. The Chaqueño cat is a beautiful feline similar to a miniature leopard. It is similar in size to a large domestic cat. It is not threatened.
- The pajonal wildcat, the pampas cat or Leopardus pajeros, is a wild cat that lives on the Pacific slope of the South American continent from Colombia to southern Chile and the Argentine Pampas. It is about the size of a large domestic cat, but more massive and bulky. There are frequent cases of melanism in this species.
Asian Wild Cats
In Asia we also find two felines to highlight:
- The Eurasian wildcat or Felis silvestris, is the ancestor of our domestic cats. It differs from them by being more robust, having a larger head, a shorter, thicker tail and a rounded tip. Generally its coat is tabby on a brown or grayish background and the belly is usually ocher. Not threatened.
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The Chinese desert cat, Biet's cat or Felis silvestris bieti, inhabits western China and Tibet. Its appearance is similar to the European wildcat, but its fur is denser and sand-colored while its belly is whitish. Its habitat is pre-desert landscapes. Although it is protected by the Chinese government, the poisoning of the pika (a rodent) that is its main food, precipitates it towards a vulnerable state of conservation.
North American Wildcat
The red lynx, bob cat or Lynx rufus, is the most prototypical and widespread wildcat on the North American continent. It is smaller than a lynx, but twice the size of a domestic cat.
Its general appearance resembles that of a lynx, but aside from its smaller size, it has shorter hair and a much redder back. Its belly boasts dense white fur with black flecks. It inhabits from northern Canada to southern Mexico and is not threatened.
African Wild Cat
The African wild cat, desert cat or Felis silvestris lybica, is the smallest of the wildcats. Its fur, shorter than that of other wildcats, is sandy and gray-yellow. It is distributed in various habitats: savannah, forest, steppe and pre-desert areas.
Experts deduce that this species was domesticated by the ancient Egyptians and that is where today's domestic cats come from. Not threatened.
European wild cat
The European Wildcat or Felis silvestris silvestris, is larger than the largest domestic cat. Its fur is longer and its tail is thicker, shorter, and with a rounded tip. It is distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkans, central Europe, and the Italian Peninsula.
Its preferred habitat is deep forest, although it is also found in coniferous forests, scrubland and moors. In certain areas it suffers the pressure of constant human expansion.
Australian Wildcats
Australian wild cats are simply feral domestic cats For decades the descendants of these cats have spread throughout Australia, retaining the characteristics typical of house cats, but greatly developing its size.
As usual in Australia with introduced animals outside of their native species, they are becoming pests.
The only proper Australian "cat" is the so-called Spottail marsupial cat, tiger quol or Dasyurus maculatus, which has nothing to do with the cats. At the moment its conservation is not threatened, but there is concern about it.
