Guide to Big and Small Wild Cats in Africa

Belonging to family Felidae in the order of carnivora, there are 36 species of which 10 are found in Africa. They are superbly designed as Ambush predators equipped to stalk, capture, kill and eat prey. The colouration on their body is for camouflage and they also have muscular limps, with large padded feet, retractile claws used as meat hooks and broad heads with large eyes for superior vision. The jaws are short and powerful with long stabbing canines. Most cats are very much alike differing mainly in size and have quick reflexes. They also have rapid accelerations and great jumping and climbing ability. Cats are short winded and cannot rely on a chase for long hence they rely on ambush, including cheetahs which must sneak up to its prey. Most cats are solitary and nocturnal. Females have exclusive home ranges and males compete for territories that overlap several female ranges. Most males are large and except of the lions, the sexes look alike. Below are cats found in Africa.

Lion ( Panthera Leo )

It is a very large cat with a longish heavy muzzle. The coat is smooth tawny with whitish underparts, ears white inside and black marks on the back. Males develope manes from the third year which varies individualy from blond to black. Cubs have brownish sports that fade by three months but may persist on belly as adults. Their habitat include grassland, savannas, woodlands and dense bush. Breeding is year round, peaking in the rainy season and bearing 1 to 4 cubs after a gestation period of 3.5 months. Lions eat almost everything from tortoise to giraffes but tend to hunt the prey they grey up eating. They are the only true trurly sociable cats where related females share a traditional home range, sometimes reproduce in synchrony and cross-suckle their offsprings. Lions bieng social animals, prides can range from 2 to over 40. Members of the pride usualy perform a greeting ritual upon meeting, rubbing thier heads and sides together, tails looped high and making friendly sounds. Females continue to stay in their mothers territory unless food is scarce where some migrate. Adolescent males are forced to leave once their father views them as potential rivals. They spend 3 years as nomads until they mature, then start looking for a pride to take over. Success in taking over a pride depends on numbers and a coalition of 2 males is usually the minimum. The period in charge of a pride is mostly around 2.5 years before it is taken over by other males. This time is enough for atleast one set of cubs to reach independence. A coalition of more males loke three or four can have longer tenure. Most colaitions are made of brothers but unrelated males can also join forces.

Leopard ( Panthera Pardus )

Spotted large cat with short powerful limps, heavy torso, thick neck and long tail. Its coat is short and sleek tawny yellow to reddish brown; darker in wetter forested areas. Rosettes spots on torso and upper limps; smaller scattered spots on lower limps. It is found almost very where expect interior of large deserts. When it comes to breading, it bears 1-4 cubs year round which peaks in the rainy season. The gestation period is 90 – 105 days. It eats whatever it can find from termites to waterbuck. Where prey is depleted, the leopard can turn to livestock and domestic dogs. Due to its secretive nocturnal habits it is able to sometimes live near human settlements. It takes kills up the trees to prevent other hunters from taking its food. The leopard is solitary and territorial but can sometimes share hunting ranges.

Cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus )

It is swaybacked with wasp like waist and long thin limps. Dog like feet with blunt unsheathed claws. Head is small and rounded with very short muzzle and unique tear like stain below each eye. The coat is tawny with white underparts, heavily spotted with round or oval black dots. Its long tail is spotted with several black packed rings near the end with tip being white. Mostly found in open and partially open savannas. It is absent from rain forests and wet coastal areas. For breeding, it gives birth to between 1 to 6 cubs ( average 3) after a gestation period of 90 to 95 days. Cheetahs run fast reaching speeds of up to 70 mph (11kph) but cannot sustain the speed for long. For this reason, they have to stalk their prey and get as close as possible before beginning the chase. Unlike other cats, they hunt mostly during daytime with a success rate of 40%. Male cheetahs defend territories and as lions form coalition of up to 5 males. They sometimes kill male intruders. The males will also try to detain and mate with solitary females whose rangers are much larger.

Caracal ( Felis Caracal)

This is a strongly built cat. The ears are tall and pointed, white on the inside and black on the outside with long black tufts at the tips. Coat is un patterned tawny to rufous on the upper part and whitish with faint rufous sports on underparts and inside legs. The head is small with short muzzle with black and white markings and a short tail. Caracals are found in Savannas, mountains and rocky hills with some cover. When it comes to breading, they bear 1 to 4 kittens year round with peak during rainy season. The gestation period is 62 to 81 days. It is a formidable cat and regularly kills antelope its own size or larger suffocating them with a grip on the throat or muzzle. It is an accomplished jumper and catches birds from the the air. Caracal are solitary and territorial.

Serval ( Felis Serval )

Serval is slender, long- legged, spotted cat with big, oval upstanding years. and have black and white markings. Upper part of the body is tawny to russet ( occasionally black ) and pale yellow below. The neck and shoulders has longitudinal stripes braking up into spots over back, flanks, underpart and legs. Tail is ringed the entire length with black tip. Habitat is moist savannas and gallery forest. They breed year round in tropics. In Southern Africa around December to March. Between 1 to 5 kittens are born after gestation of 65 to 75 days. It is a specialist hunter of small rodents in tall grass. Its tall years acts like a dish antennae to locate prey. The long legs provide height for increased visual range as well as the ability to make high pounces. They have large shared ranges which also influences social mating system.

African wildcat ( Felis Libyca )

It is the most common wild cat in Africa. This is the wild form of the domestic cat but larger with longer legs and more upright seated posture. It is grey or occasionally black and darker in wet areas and paler in dry regions. It has a brownish grizzling on face and upperparts Ears are unmarked, thin and translucent. Double garters on the upper legs and tail distinctly ringed toward end with black tip. Underparts are white to cream. African wildcat are found in grasslands and woodlands. They bear 2 to 3 kittens annually mostly during the rainy season. The gestation period is between 56 to 60 days. It feeds on mammals up to the size of a hare, as well as birds and reptiles. The female defends a main area as her exclusive territory but shares other parts of her home range with neighbouring cats. The breeding male defends an area large enough to include up to 3 female ranges.

African Golden Cat ( Felis Aurata )

This is a powerfully built cat with large paws. The hindquarters are well developed and has a heavy muzzle. Underparts and cheeks are whitish while upperparts vary from shades of red to slate grey and sometimes black. Its spots may be single dots or rosettes and sometimes can only be found on belly and legs. The ears are small and black on the back. Tail can be distinctively ringed or spotted on the entire length. African Golden cats are found in very dense, moist undergrowth of lowland rain and montane forests. Little is known of how it breeds in the wild. Mostly active during the day and is a formidable predator with remarkable springing and climbing ability. It eats duikers, rodents, monkeys, guineafowls, chickens, goats etc

Black-footed cat ( Felis Nigripes )

This is the smallest in the cat family. It has short body, relatively long legs and tail half of its body length. Fur colour is pale cinnamon yellow to tawny with large dark spots on upper parts which elongates into stripes over shoulders with fainter spots on the underparts. 3 broad black bands encircle upper limps with black fur on the bottom of the feet. Tails is spotted with black tip. Its habitat is arid savannah where it shelters in burrows dug by other animals and termite mounts. It gives birth to 1 – 2 kittens born in the months between December to March after gestation period of 63-68 days. Mostly active a night and very secretive. It preys on rodents, bird and small reptiles. Rarely drinks as it gets sufficient water from its prey.