Golden cat: habitat, description of appearance and character, nutrition and reproduction

What kind of animal is this golden cat?

The golden color is not typical for all cats of this species. He may be different. The golden cat Caracal aurata is a predator from the caracal family. This is a modest animal that does not like attention and is in no hurry to appear in public. It is seen quite rarely, and is sometimes classified as a Temminck cat - the Asian golden cat. But these animals live in different habitats and differ in appearance.

At the end of the last century in Africa, there were only 10,000 individuals in their natural habitat. There are even fewer cats now, as their habitat is shrinking due to shrinking forest areas.

Due to the extinction of the species, hunting the golden cat is prohibited almost everywhere.

But the pygmies, who consider the cat a magical animal, do not stop. They continue to hunt golden cats for their skins and tails to use in their rituals.

Kinds

Golden Britons are a special color of cats. However, it is not integral - there are several subgroups of golden cats:

• shaded;
• veiled;
• tabby (which includes ticked, spotted, tabby and marbled).

Let's look at each of the above types in more detail.

Shaded British. This cat has a rather original color. Thus, the lower part of the hairs on the coat is colored in golden and apricot shades. A characteristic feature is also the presence of a so-called white collar. This group is quite common within the British Golden breed.

When did the African golden cat appear?

Little is still known about the history of the species. For the first time, people saw a golden cat, which is why they gave the animal this name.

But later, in 1942, a black cat was found in eastern Congo, which by all indications was attributed to Caracal aurata. Only the color of the coat was different.

When scientists did a phylogenetic analysis, they discovered a close relationship between the golden cat and the caracal. Golden cats, caracals and servals form one of eight branches of the family Felidae, which appeared more than eight million years ago.

Description of the species

The weight of a black-footed cat ranges from 1.5 kg. And the average body length is 10-20 cm. The wild African cat has a stocky, strong body, a large round head and expressive eyes that flicker in the dark with a bright blue light. Animals see well at night. In addition, their hearing and sense of smell are highly developed.

The ant tiger's appearance is very deceiving. At first glance, it looks like a domestic pussycat, but in fact it is a fierce African predator. The color of the animal's fur can vary from light yellow to red-brown. The cat's color is complemented by a pattern of black spots, which sometimes merge into stripes. This camouflage coloring camouflages the predator well, making it invisible to enemies and prey. Dense fur on the paw pads reliably protects cats from the hot desert sand.

What is he like, a wild golden cat?

The coat of the African golden cat can be of three main colors:

• Red-brown;
• Gray-brown;
• Dark gray (close to black).

On the skins of some cats, spots are clearly visible, which are located in the back or abdomen and paws.

Typically, the lightest areas are located near the eyes and cheeks, as well as the stomach. The darkest part is the tail, on which rings can often be seen.

Interestingly, the color of cats can change over time. So in the London Zoo, brown-red cats turned gray in 4 months.

There are two subspecies of cats:

1. a. сottoni have spots on the neck and sides or all over the body
2. a. aurata spotting on the belly and lower sides.

Animals' eyes can be of different colors: blue, yellow, brown.

Cats are characterized by a ridge of fur above the withers, where the direction of growth of the fur changes. Despite all the similarities with a caracal, the cat has its own distinctive features: there are no tufts on the ears, and they are more rounded, a smaller muzzle, and a very long tail.

Cats have a small head and a rather large body. They are significantly larger than domestic cats and sometimes reach a weight of 18 kg. Although females can weigh 3-4 kg, males often weigh 12-14 kg.

The body length of cats starts at 60 centimeters and can reach a meter. In small animals the tail length is 16 centimeters, and in large animals it reaches 46.

Character and habits

Golden cats, despite their large size, are not particularly bold or aggressive. They try to avoid humans and hide from them in the thicket of the forest. But when the offspring is in danger, the mother is ready to rush at the offender and inflict wounds on him, using her claws and teeth.

African cats are loners. They each live in their own territory, having previously marked it. The territory can be from 30 to 50 square meters. km. In males it is larger, in females it is smaller.

Animals hunt early in the morning and in the evening. If necessary, they are able to climb high into a tree, but are mostly on the ground.

In zoos, where the cat does not have to get its own food, it prefers to sleep longer. If you take a small kitten into the house, then at first he may not avoid his owners and even play with them, but when he grows up, his wild, fearful nature manifests itself. The cat becomes similar to its relatives living in the forests.

How to eat

The African cat's “lunch” includes antelopes, red duikers, and tree hyraxes. She also loves to feast on birds, having first plucked them. Although, if she is very hungry, she can swallow prey anyway.

Sometimes the animal hunts monkeys. Although it’s hard to call it real hunting. Cats usually chase monkeys that are already sick and have difficulty moving quickly.

How does it reproduce

Unlike domestic cats, wild goldens give birth to one or two kittens. Their weight is two hundred grams or a little more. For two weeks they feed on their mother's milk, and then the cat begins to bring them game.

If cats live in captivity, then the male can help the female feed the offspring. Puberty in boys occurs at six months. For girls - at eleven.

How long does he live?

It is difficult to judge the life expectancy of a golden cat in its natural habitat. There are too few individuals and it is very difficult to monitor them. But in zoos around the world, she lives on average up to fifteen years.

How to defend and attack

Unlike caracals, the African cat will not circle near its prey. She attacks immediately, easily and confidently rushing at the enemy or game and using her claws and teeth.

If a cat feels threatened, this will be immediately obvious from its behavior. She will arch her back, the fur on her back will stand on end, and her head will be lowered and tilted to one side. The tail bends at this time. When experiencing aggression, a cat may hit it and then return it to its original position.

Character

The golden tartan's favorite pastime is to be close to its family, actively participate in the owner's life, or just be nearby. Prefers any activity related to a person, but it does not get boring, requiring attention and affection.

She does not tolerate loneliness well; if she is left alone at home, she will get bored and seek companionship. The devotion of the golden Scottish cat is so great that after separation she will not take revenge on her owner, but will gratefully curl up at his feet.

The character of the Golden Scotsman is flexible, loving, compliant. A kind cat gets along well in a family, charms everyone, becoming everyone's favorite. He is friendly towards all family members, but he chooses one owner as his favorite, preferring to spend more time with him.

The Golden Scottish Chinchilla has an innate aristocracy. The animal will never scratch the furniture, climb the curtain, or go to the toilet past the tray. Behavior is mannered, gait is smooth, imposing, with a sense of self-esteem.

He is afraid of heights, so fragile things can be safely put on a shelf.

The Scottish chinchilla has intelligence, the ability to learn, and developed intuition. She observes what is happening, draws conclusions, and treats strangers selectively.

For children who do not offend her, she will be a friend. She retains her playful character until old age, is sociable, friendly, and not vindictive.

Cats of this breed are extremely active and curious. They love active games, happily chasing a ball or imitating “catching up” with a toy. Therefore, your pet needs to buy bright toys, balls, and artificial mice.

Need to know. The Golden Scottish Chinchilla prefers to live without the proximity of other living creatures. If birds, fish or small rodents live in the house, she may hunt them.

Cat's enemies, who are they?

African cats also have their own enemy. This is a leopard. These predators can feed on cats, but only kill a small percentage.

But it's not just about leopards. The most dangerous person for cats is the person who cuts down forests, leaving less and less territory for animals to reproduce.

Papuans, despite the ban, continue to hunt cats. It is believed that in some rituals that promise good luck, animal skins are indispensable. So humans still remain the main enemy of wild cats.

Kitties on Cleo - List of breeds

Where do African cats prefer to live?

The habitat where cats live lies in equatorial Africa. It ends in the east of Kenya and begins in the west of Sierra Leone, where wooded savannas are located. The Congo River is a natural barrier separating the territories inhabited by two species of animals.

African cats like to live in dense forests and areas with undergrowth. It is convenient for them to hide there while hunting.

It is possible that they live near human habitation, near water bodies, savannah, that is, where there are various small rodents in large quantities.

Animals can also live in the mountains, high above sea level. So in Uganda, representatives of the species were discovered that lived at an altitude of more than three and a half thousand meters.

It is assumed that cats can settle in mountain and lowland forests, since sometimes golden cats were seen even there.

By hunting various animals, they perform a sanitary function, destroying weaker and sicker animals.

Purchasing a Temminka kitten

This animal is now listed in the first CITES appendix, and smuggling is subject to a large fine and even imprisonment. Even large zoos find it difficult to acquire these rare and unique animals.

Only from single foreign breeders, with a long and persistent search, can you find “legitimate” kittens born from cats who themselves grew up in captivity and have all the necessary documents about their origin.

In order to seriously engage in breeding the Temminka Cat and its hybrid species in captivity, a person, first of all, needs to restore the natural population and stop the extinction of this rare animal.

For this purpose and to stop the deforestation of rare tropical forests, various associations have been created, including the World Conservation Organization, which includes a number of government and public companies.

Is life in captivity possible?

Like many other wild cats, the African Golden will not live in a house or apartment. If you are tempted to have such an individual, it will require a special enclosure. It is advisable to equip it in such a way that the animal feels as if it were in the wild. It must have a house, trees for the cat to climb, or logs, bushes. A resident of the savannah should feel at home.

Moreover, in winter, the cat should be placed in a heated room, since it is not accustomed to our cold weather. The cat must be monitored by a doctor. This is a mandatory condition if owners want their pet to be healthy and live long.

Cat food is not suitable for wild inhabitants of the savannah. You can give him beef, eggs, mice, fish. Feed additives must also be included in the diet so that the animal receives all the necessary substances.

Wild golden cats are kept in different zoos around the world, and for their breeding there are special nurseries that deal with wild animals. A golden cat costs ten thousand “green” or more. The price depends on the pedigree, age, color, as well as the skills that are imparted to the cats.

Security status

The golden cat is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Recent reports indicate that African golden cat populations are declining, largely due to habitat deforestation. Hunting also plays a minor role in reducing animal populations. Hunting restrictions have been enacted in the following countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The golden cat is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Reproduction and development of individuals

The Asian golden cat takes a long time to mature and reaches sexual maturity only at 18-24 months.

In nature, they can reproduce throughout the year, as they do not have a pronounced rutting period. Individuals form a pair for the entire mating season, as well as for the period of feeding and raising offspring. The female usually makes a den in dense forest thickets in burrows abandoned by other animals in the roots of trees.

Pregnancy lasts from 70 to 80 days and ends with the birth of one to three fairly large cubs (up to 300 g).

Blind, helpless kittens grow and become stronger very quickly, as parents are distinguished by their reverent care for their offspring. Every day the female takes the babies out of the nest into the sun, and the male hunts.

When the kids are a little older, fathers take an active part in teaching kittens how to hunt and survive in the rainforest. During this period, the pair most often hunts together, leaving the cubs alone in the den for a short time.

Until about six months of life, kittens differ significantly in color from adults; they have darker and longer fur, with practically no spots visible.

By ten days of life, babies open their eyes, and at three weeks they are already actively running. By 30 days their weight doubles, and by 90 days it triples.

By 7-8 months, Temminki adolescents become almost independent and can hunt separately. At this time, the pair of parents separates, moving back to a single existence until the next mating season.

A female who has lost her cubs is able to mate again after 30-60 days.

Since these wild cats have not been studied very well, their life expectancy in their natural habitat is unknown; in captivity it is 12-17 years. Temminka, a long-liver, lived in the zoo for 23 years.

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