Felis silvestris
The Wildcat is an extremely shy predator and seen only very rarely, and it cannot be domesticated. The coat is long, soft and thick, grey or yellowish grey with dark stripes. The Wildcat is about 48–80 cm long and the tail about 26–37 cm; the cat weighs about 5–10 kg. The male weighs a little more than the female, up to 15 kg. The tail is bushy and rather blunt, with dark rings and a black tip. The Wildcat resembles a very large domestic cat, but has longer legs; the height at the shoulder is about 35–40 cm.
The Wildcat lives in wooded upland areas, where it finds shelter in dens between rocks and stones, under roots, in hollow trees, or in thick underbrush. It is mostly nocturnal, but during the day it can sometimes be seen basking in the sun.
The Wildcat has five toes on the front feet and four on the hind. The toes have sharp claws that are normally retracted when the cat is moving. The prints of front and hind feet are almost the same, because the inner toe on the front foot is located too high to leave a print. The footprints are circular, about 4–6 cm long and 3.5–5 cm wide. The Wildcat moves quietly in its territory, but can jump energetically when hunting. The tracks basically follow a straight line, and the stride is about 30–60 cm.
As it moves, the Wildcat places its hind feet immediately behind the front feet. EHA.
The Wildcat is slightly larger than an average domestic cat. PC.
The Wildcat preys mainly on hares, rabbits, rodents, and small birds, as well as some insects. It swallows small animals whole, but with larger animals, the cat eats only the flesh and leaves the bones behind. Smaller animals may be cached under moss or earth, but the Wildcat rarely returns to carrion. The scat is normally buried or covered with earth and plants; at the edge of the territory it may be left in the open on stones or tree trunks. The scat is 4–8 cm long and 1.5 cm thick, often segmented and with pointed ends. It contains hair, bone, and insect remains, and when fresh smells very pungent. The Wildcat sharpens its claws by scratching trees, the same way Lynx and domestic cats do. The bark abrades the outermost layer of the nails, sharpening them in the process. Scratch marks on tree trunks are a sign to other Wildcats that this territory is occupied. Wildcats also mark their territory with scent. Many Wildcat ‘scratching trees’ might be found well inside an individual’s territory, away from other cats, so this is more a sign that the cat is simply flexing its muscles and stretching rather than marking its territory.
Wildcat scat, used here to mark territory. AD.
The Wildcat sharpens its claws on tree trunks. PB.
