Wildcat

The wild cat lives in areas where snow depth does not exceed 20 cm, as it finds it very difficult to move through deep snow, and also cannot reach rodents hiding there. Its inability to move through deep snow and catch rodents limits its habitat to regions with shallow snow cover.
The wild cat is almost impossible to tame, even small kittens do not allow people to approach them. Adult individuals do not allow anyone to come close, even if the kittens are still very young.
The territory of the wild cat can reach several square kilometers. In the semi-deserts and deserts of Africa, the territory of the sand cat is even larger.

Age

The wildcat is a species with a theoretical lifespan of from 9 years 6 months to 19 years, and a typical lifespan of from 12 to 18 years, with a maximum lifespan of 19 years; the age of sexual maturity for males or females occurs from 7 months 3 weeks to 1 year. The "Embryo" stage implies the development of the embryo inside the mother for about two months, after which the "Kitten" stage begins, when the kitten is born blind and helpless, living this period with the mother in a shelter. The kitten's eyes open at an age of from 1 to 2 weeks, and it starts walking from 2 weeks 4 days to 4 weeks. Then comes the "Adult" stage, which lasts from 1 to 15 years, when the cat hunts independently and is capable of reproduction.

Phenotype

The wild cat possesses dense fur of a grey-brown color with dark stripes for camouflage, as well as a thick tail with ringed stripes and a black tip. Adult individuals have sharp retractable claws for hunting and climbing, and long whiskers that help navigate in the dark. The eyes of kittens open on the 7–10th day after birth.

Physiology

The wildcat’s body height ranges from 22.9 to 33 centimeters, and its body length varies from 45 to 80 centimeters; the species' mass falls between 5.33 and 6.65 kilograms. During the embryo stage, the body mass is from 1 to 20 grams. The kitten’s body mass ranges from 100 grams to 0.9 kilograms, with a body length of 12 to 25 centimeters. As an adult, the species' body mass is between 4 and 8 kilograms, and its body length is from 50 to 80 centimeters.

Habitat

The European wildcat inhabits highlands and tundra, as well as terrestrial forests, grasslands and steppes, and shrublands, at elevations up to 2 kilometers; the species occupies biomes including very dry areas with infrequent rainfall, temperate steppes with abundant grass and few trees, very hot and dry areas with daytime heat and nighttime cold, temperate mixed forests with many oak, birch, and maple trees, and flooded meadows where water frequently covers the ground; the climate varies considerably, ranging from very hot and nearly dry conditions to hot steppes with a very hot summer and little rainfall, very dry environments with rare rainfall, very hot and dry areas with daytime heat and nighttime cold, and consistently very wet conditions with almost constant rain; the species is found in landscapes that include terrestrial forests, grasslands and steppes, and shrublands.

Shelter

The European wildcat inhabits dense forests and utilizes a den as shelter. The den serves multiple purposes, including providing protection, facilitating reproduction, and offering a place for rest.

Geography

The European wildcat is distributed across three biogeographical realms: Afrotropics, Indomalaya, and Palearctics. It inhabits broadleaf forests of Western Europe and European Atlantic mixed forests.

Feeding

The wildcat feeds on small animals, with its primary prey being rodents, rabbits, and birds; the species obtains food through jumping from a crouch and employs active hunting, ambush, and pursuit strategies. Its diet includes mice, voles, rabbits, birds, hares, and rabbits, as well as long-eared owls, pigeons, reed warblers, hares, sparrows, crested larks, true pheasants, green woodpeckers, rats, squirrels, and Eurasian hedgehogs. The daily food requirement ranges from 150 grams to 300 grams, and young wild cats consume milk. While some cultures consume the animal, it is not considered halal or kosher.

Reproduction

Embryonic development lasts 2 months 1 week. Litter size is 2–5. Maturity occurs from 10 months to 1 year 1 month. Offspring are 2–4; females give birth once or twice a year. Kittens are born in a secluded shelter. The reproductive interval is from 3 months to 2 years. Habitat — they live and develop on land, outside of water bodies. Nesting occurs in a ground nest—eggs, larvae, or offspring develop in a nest built on the ground or close to it; in a burrow—the nest is hidden in an underground burrow; a caring mother—the nest is hidden in an underground burrow, only the mother shows parental care for the offspring; live birth—offspring are born alive on land, they do not hatch from eggs or larvae; ordinary sexual—homogamy, reproduction always with fertilization, without alternation of generations.