European Wildcat: description, history, habitat, photo

The enigmatic and captivating European wildcat is a common sight in the continent’s forests. This untamed cat, recognized for its untamed look and self-sufficient disposition, is frequently misidentified as a big house cat. Its solitary lifestyle and strong survival instincts, however, distinguish it from any house pet.

The history of this particular wildcat species spans thousands of years. Due to habitat loss and human activity, these species, which were once common throughout Europe, are becoming less common. The European wildcat is still seen as a representation of wilderness and tenacity in the natural world despite these difficulties.

The European wildcat favors isolated locations where it can hunt and roam freely, whether they are in mountainous or densely forested areas. Its range encompasses multiple nations, with populations concentrated in areas of Eastern Europe, France, Germany, and Scotland. The wildcat is a true survivor in the wild because of its acute senses and capacity for adaptation.

Feature	Description
Appearance	The European wildcat has a sturdy build, thick fur, and a bushy tail with dark rings. Its coat is usually greyish with faint stripes.
History	Believed to have roamed Europe for thousands of years, the European wildcat is a descendant of ancient wildcats and has adapted to forested environments.
Habitat	These wildcats prefer dense forests, especially in central and southern Europe, but can also be found in mountainous areas.
Diet	Their diet mainly consists of small mammals like mice, rabbits, and birds, hunted at night or dawn.
Conservation	The species faces threats from habitat destruction and hybridization with domestic cats, leading to conservation efforts in several countries.

Small and elusive, the European Wildcat is a native of European forests and is well-known for having a striking resemblance to domestic cats. It has a long history, having endured centuries of habitat changes, and it is still seen as a representation of the wilderness in many nations. It is a skilled hunter because of its thick, bushy tail and dense, striped fur, which help it blend into its forest habitat. The European Wildcat, which embodies the wild beauty of Europe’s wildlife, continues to thrive in certain protected areas despite facing obstacles like habitat loss and hybridization with domestic cats.

History of the origin of the species

According to scientific theories, the Wildcat first emerged during the Pleistocene epoch, which lasted from more than 2.5 billion to 11.7 million years ago. Taking into account that humans are only 2.8 billion years old, wild cats are at least nine times older than humans.

The end of the Pleistocene era is characterized by incredibly harsh climate. The planet has just gone through an ice age, the ice masses retreated reluctantly, the weather conditions also changed in waves – periods of sharp warming alternated with periods of very cold air masses. These processes served as an impetus for the transformation of flora and fauna. It was at this time that the woolly rhinoceros, mammoth, giant deer, cave lion and many other species appeared, most fully adapted to harsh climatic conditions.

Most animals from the glacial and post-glacial periods were unable to adapt to the ensuing global warming and went extinct. The cat made it into the mountain ranges and shaded forests, where it survived.

As a result, the most recent approximate date that the European wildcat species emerged was 11.7 million years ago. However, it’s more likely that this animal is older and has endured since the Ice Age without experiencing any unique changes.

About ten thousand years ago, when people started to build houses, cultivate agricultural land, lead sedentary lives, and create food reserves, the cat was domesticated.

Mr. Cat recommends: characteristics

A member of the cat family, the Central European wildcat is also known as the European wildcat or Felis silvestris silvestris. "Wild cat living in the forest" is a rough translation of the wildcat’s Latin name. They are found almost everywhere on Earth, specifically in Europe, Asia, and Africa (where certain steppe species exist). Read the article about Steppe cats to gain a deeper understanding of the classification. Only wild forest cats that have adapted to life in Europe will be covered in this article.

Despite having a very similar overall structure to a typical domestic cat, this small animal is still larger than one:

• The body is quite long, elongated, muscular.
• Males are from 45 to 93 cm in length, weigh 6-9 kg; females from 39 to 78 cm and 4-7 kg.
• Limbs of medium length with sharp claws that can hide in the pads of the fingers. They are well adapted for climbing trees and rocks, hunting and defending against enemies.
• The hind legs are somewhat longer and more powerful than the front ones. They help the animal to perform high jumps.
• The tail is of sufficient length (from 18 to 41 cm), usually slightly larger than the body. Wide at the base and slightly tapering further, but its tip is not pointed, but rounded.
• Large head with developed wide cheekbones. The jaw is short and blunt. European wildcats have a larger skull volume than domestic cats, a ratio known as the Schauenberg index.
• The ears are medium-sized (5-7 cm), set wide apart, without brushes at the tips, but with inner fluff.
• Vibrissae are voluminous, thick, white. There are 8-18 of them near the mouth on each side, from 5 to 8 cm long, there are fewer of them near the eyes – 7-8 and they are shorter (5-6 cm). But they are also on the inside of the brush, this is a group of 3-6 hairs 4-5 long cm.
• The eyes are large and set wide apart, with a slit-shaped vertical pupil. The iris is colored in yellowish, greenish or emerald-golden tones.
• The earlobe is flat, large, brick-colored.
• The fur is of uniform medium length all over the body, it is much longer on the tail, which makes it seem large and fluffy.
• The undercoat is thick and voluminous. Because of it, the animal is perceived as much larger.
• The color is in grayish tones. There are patterned lines on the head, back, sides, tail. On the occipital part of the skull there are usually four clear lines.
• The tail is encircled by black rings, there are from three to ten of them.
• Summer fur after molting is much lighter, without ocher and brownish impurities, sometimes ash-gray.
• Usually have four pairs of nipples: two on the chest and two on the belly.
• The chromosome set includes 38 diploids.

The majority of European wildcat habitats are deciduous and mixed forests devoid of populated areas. Additionally, there are populations on hills, close to wetlands, in coastal forests, and on the coast. Steer clear of areas covered with a thick layer of snow and high mountains.

The wildcat of Central Europe is much bigger than its steppe-dwelling wild cousins. Even men weighing 14–16 kg are present. Manuls, or marsh lynxes, are these animals’ closest relatives.

Types of Wild Forest Cat

There are 23 subspecies of the wild forest cat, specifically:

• Central European Felis silvestris silvestris;

• Caucasian Felis silvestris caucasica;

• Turkestan Felis silvestris caudata;

• Omani Felis silvestris gordoni;

• Steppe Felis silvestris lybica;

• African subspecies Felis silvestris cafra;

• Chinese Felis silvestris chutuchta;

• Domestic Felis silvestris catus.

Habitat of the European Wildcat

The majority of European wildcat populations are found in the west and center of the continent, specifically in Slovakia, Moldova, Western Ukraine, the Carpathians, and Transcarpathia. The giant Iberian cat is one of the subspecies that also resides on the Iberian Peninsula.

In the Caucasus, where it coexists with Felis silvestris caucasica, the European cat is also present. Many of them have been in Scotland since prehistoric times, but extensive domestic cat breeding has put them in danger of going extinct.

The majority of the population of Ukraine resides in mixed forests, such as beech and broadleaf hornbeam-oak. The Moldovan population, which is also found in floodplains, also selected beech forests as their habitat. These are rare hollow willows and black poplars surrounded by dense willow and reed thickets.

The European wildcat can also be found in Germany, southern Spain, Italy, and the European portion of Russia.

These creatures can survive two to three thousand meters above sea level. They are resistant to extremes in temperature, heat, high humidity, and frost because of their thick fur coat and warm undercoat.

Due to widespread hunting and local devastation, the cat’s habitat fragmented between the end of the 17th and the middle of the 20th century. Though stray individuals from Italy continue to migrate there, the animal is thought to be regionally extinct in Austria and may have completely vanished in the Czech Republic. Sicily is the only island in which this species has a population; it has never lived in Scandinavia.

Behavior features

European wildcats are extremely circumspect—one could even describe them as timid. This explains the frequent displays of hostility directed at strangers. These cats in particular steer clear of populated areas, attempting to blend in with the background. They generally would rather avoid confrontations with other predators or their relatives.

They are living alone. Up to three square kilometers of forest can be under the authority of an adult male. The cat uses its claws and physiological secretions to mark its territory on tree trunks. As a result, outsiders are seldom seen entering its domain.

The lynx (Lynx), large steppe cat, jungle cat (Felis chaus), fox (Vulpes Vulpes), gray wolf (Canis lupus), jackal (Canis aureus), marten (Martes martes), and bear (Ursus arctos) are just a few of the natural enemies of the European wildcat. The wolf is the wildcat’s most formidable rival in Tajikistan, where it is not unusual for cat dens to be destroyed. Predatory birds, such as the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) and Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo), frequently hunt the cat’s kittens with great success. Naturalist Seton Gordon documented a fight between a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and a Wildcat that ended with the deaths of both animals.

The animal lives in a den, usually an old hollow in a large tree, for the majority of the day. Sawdust is typically abundant in tree hollows, so the cat doesn’t need to create extra bedding. The Steppe Cat leaves the den if it starts to smell like fleas. When snowfall makes it impossible for the cat to travel great distances in the winter, it stays inside its shelter until the weather becomes more conducive to travel.

Mountain dwellers establish rookeries in clefts in the rock or in the abandoned badger and fox burrows (Meles meles and Vulpes vulpes). Small depressions beneath cliffs with dense clumps of branches serve as both a den and a makeshift shelter for wildcats during dangerous situations.

Bird feathers and dry grass are layered inside holes or cracks that form a shelter.

Wide tree forks and abandoned heron and other large bird nests are preferred by animals in the floodplains for hiding and resting spots.

A few hours before dawn at night, the predator searches for prey. However, it engages in more hunting in the early morning and late evening during the winter.

In floodplains, European wildcats can hold up to two hectares of territory, but during the mating season, males may cross into neighboring territory in pursuit of females.

When pursuing prey or fleeing from a chase, the European wildcat can move swiftly and adeptly up trees and small rocks.

The animal’s sense of smell is marginally diminished, but its hearing and vision are excellent. Quiet but with the ability to produce deep, rough meows; it can purr, snort, rumble, and hiss.

The appearance of the beast creates an association with a gloomy and wary creature because of the abundance of enemies in the forest, from which, however, the predator is able to instantly hide on the trees and in the cracks of the rocks. Despite this, this is one of the most exquisite and noble animals on the planet, resembling an exotic house cat.

Food diet

European forest cats are a typical example of an average predator with a varied range of average prey.

• hares;
• rabbits;
• ground birds;
• martens;
• proteins;
• water rats;
• ondaters;
• ermine;
• caresses;
• ferrets;
• cubs of deer, chamois and roe deer;
• wild and home goats;
• Rat passenger;
• hamsters;
• lizards;
• snakes;
• Small rodents (mice, fields, sony).

Pheasants, ducks, chukars, rails, and partridges are among the animals that the European wildcat particularly likes to attack. The predator demolishes their nests in addition to attacking them. These creatures used to hunt eagles and bustards as well.

Although the animals are averse to water, they are capable of swimming when hunting ducks. This is really a delicacy for them, even though on rare occasions they do not object to feasting on frogs, crayfish, and toads. Very rarely, but occasionally, European wildcats will venture into human settlements to hunt chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.

Even though the predator is a swift mover, it prefers to adopt a wait-and-see attitude when hunting, lying in wait for prey close to a hole or nest rather than taking the role of a beater. After that, there is a sudden jump and the victim’s demise. In this instance, the cat jumps on the back of larger animals and tries to rip the neck, killing smaller ones by gnawing through the occipital bone. The cat will seek out another victim and stop pursuing its prey if the attack is unsuccessful.

Because of the way their eyes are made, wildcats can only focus on a small portion of their territory; everything else appears blurry to them, and they are unable to follow an animal that is moving quickly. Nonetheless, given its size—two to three meters in length and height—it is capable of making enormous leaps.

A three- to four-month-old kitten can consume up to ten medium-sized mice in a single day, and an adult can consume up to 1.5 to 2 kg of fresh prey. These animals are extremely voracious. Despite its diminutive size, the European cat is an intrepid and fearless hunter. Thus, although some hunting dogs would not dream of attacking a hamster or a brown rat, this one charges at these ferocious animals.

It’s risky to go marten, ermine, weasel, or ferret hunting, and the cat doesn’t always win those battles. Numerous youths perish in these kinds of conflicts.

Usually, the first hunt happens a few hours before dusk, and the second one happens closer to daybreak. The animal is able to emerge from its den during the day on overcast summer days.

It typically uses its hind legs to sit on the ground and hold the carcass in its front hand while it consumes its meal. It bites off pieces of meat with its fangs instead of tearing them out.

European cats can distinguish sounds up to 25,000 vibrations per second, meaning they can hear a shrew moving. This is an example of how highly developed their sense of hearing is.

Puberty and reproduction

The European wildcat is an adamant individualist with a challenging and reclusive nature, but the animal undergoes a transformation during the mating season. In the process of looking for a partner, it gets incredibly animated and active.

Typically, reproduction happens twice a year. January through March is when the first mating season occurs.

Both males and females actively mark their territory with loud calling sounds. Males hunt females and frequently engage in combat to gain the upper hand in mating disputes.

Following mating, the female starts to prepare her den. She selects a hollow or hole and lines it with dried grass, leaves, and bird feathers that have been consumed.

The first litter, which typically has three to six cubs, is born in April or May.

The babies are small (150-200 g), covered with dark fluff, blind and absolutely helpless. Compared to adult individuals, their coloring is more spotted and more in line with the ancient type.

The male abandons the female after the kittens are born and does not assist with the care and education of the young.

For a maximum of three to four months, the mother provides the babies with breast milk, shields them from ermine and weasels, and relocates them if needed.

The cubs start to actively play, crawl out of the hole, and try solid food at one and a half months. They pick up the skill of climbing trees, where they can hide from harm.

European forest kittens can hunt from the time they are two months old, and by the time they are five or six months old, they can live on their own. Despite the fact that males reach sexual maturity at three years, and females at nine months.

The next sexual rut starts when the teenagers move out from under their mother. Males attempt to get closer to a free female cat during this time, and they also keep starting fights with each other.

Eventually, the strongest male takes charge and becomes the parent of the newest, most resilient offspring.

Since these varieties are genetically similar and capable of hybridization, the species degenerates when females mate with stray cats, most often feral domestic cats. Given that domestic cats are weaker than their wild counterparts, there is debate regarding the issue of degeneration resulting from mating with them.

Domestic cats that become lost in the forest occasionally end up dating European wild cats. The progeny stay in the forest and hybridize with the dominant population, thereby substantially diminishing its genetic strength. Yet there are wide differences among scientists regarding the degree of degeneration resulting from this kind of hybridization.

It is undeniable that wild cats are the ancestors of domestic cat breeds like the Siberian and Norwegian forest cats.

Even if European forest cat kittens find their way into human hands at a young age, taming them is an extremely challenging task.

This predator coexists and breeds voluntarily in reserves and zoos, but in an apartment or a private home. It is preferable to discard it. The wild side will undoubtedly surface eventually, and both people and animals will suffer as a result.

Furthermore, the European wildcat’s extreme caution and even timidity make it very uncomfortable to live next to a person. If one of these pets has already found its way inside the home, the following needs to be done to make it comfortable:

• Provide sufficient space for active movement and climbing, or better yet – a spacious enclosure.
• Do not combine the wild cat with other pets.
• Organize timely deworming, treatment for external parasites and regular vaccinations.
• Carefully monitor the health of an unusual pet, in case of illness, promptly contact veterinary clinics.
• Choose the right and complete diet, in which the majority of protein food must be lean meat (poultry, veal, rabbit), fermented milk products, fresh fish, offal (liver, heart, lung), chicken eggs.
• Do not forget about the need to include vitamin and mineral complexes in the diet.

Although the European forest cat has a very healthy genetic makeup, it can quickly become unwell if not given the right care and food. For a predator, living in a house or enclosure itself causes a great deal of stress.

With a lack of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, micro- and macroelements in the feed, the pet can develop serious diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, glycogenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, retinal dysplasia.

The European forest cat’s life expectancy in captivity can reach 30 years under ideal conditions, but it rarely makes it past 15 in the wild.

Purchasing a kitten

If you have decided to buy this utterly inappropriate pet for your home, you should only purchase it from a reputable breeder. Kittens are priced starting at forty thousand rubles.

Selecting a baby that is between two and four months old is preferable as there is a greater possibility of domestication during that time. However, you shouldn’t anticipate that a wild kitten will develop into a devoted companion. Even the most compliant of exotic babies will always have a spirit of independence.

Keeping a European wildcat at home is also highly discouraged because of the recent dramatic decline in the natural population caused by human activity, including deforestation, swamp drainage, pollution, and the expansion of cities and other settlements.

These days, the maximum number of individuals in an animal’s habitat is twenty per hectare (100 by 100 meters), and occasionally two or three per square kilometer (1000 by 1000 meters). There is also an impact from the decrease in the number of rodents and birds, which reduces the food supply.

The wild cat has never had much of a market, but in the middle of the 20th century, up to 5,000 of its heads were wiped out for their skins. Many predators nowadays fall victim to traps intended for badgers and martens.

Currently, the CITES (Convention on International Trade) second appendix contains a list of species that include the Central European wildcat. This species has completely vanished in many European nations, such as Belarus. As a result, there are just 100 examples of this rare animal in Dagestan.

The European wildcat is an amazing species that has adapted to live in many different parts of the continent. It distinguishes itself from domestic cats with its robust body and unique fur patterns while retaining its wild and independent personality. Despite their resemblance to domestic cats, they can be distinguished from them by their distinct behaviors and habitat preferences.

The European Wildcat has experienced numerous difficulties throughout history, such as habitat loss and human interference. However, conservation efforts are helping to protect this unique species, allowing it to continue thriving in its natural environment. These wildcats have found places where they can live in relative peace, from mountainous regions to dense forests.

The European Wildcat is a rare sight in the wild due to its shy and elusive nature, but they still contribute significantly to Europe’s biodiversity. For many generations to come, these wildcats can serve as a symbol of Europe’s wild wilderness if they are protected and kept in the public eye.

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