CONTENTS

Photographer’s acknowledgements

Author’s acknowledgements

Introduction

Species profiles

CHAPTER

1

The feline design: evolution, anatomy and action

The key to carnivory

The dawn of the cats

Physical adaptations: being a cat

CHAPTER

2

Predation: hunting, killing and feeding

Hunting strategies

Prey: the eating habits of cats

Statistics of the hunt: how well, how far, how often?

CHAPTER

3

Solitary and sociable: social systems, land use and communication

Social behaviour

Land use: home ranges, territories and time-share

Territorial maintenance: communication among cats

CHAPTER

4

Populations: reproduction, mortality and survival

Finding mates and courtship

The life and death of cubs

Into adulthood: dispersal and survival

CHAPTER

5

Competition, conflict and coexistence: relationships among cats and other carnivores

Interactions among the cats

The effect of competition and conflict

Relationships with other carnivores

CHAPTER

6

Cats and humans: threats, status and conservation

The human threat

The status of cats: range loss, numbers and trends

Conservation: the future of Africa’s cats

References

Keywords to search for