The
smallest of all the species of cats, Black-footed cat is indeed one of the
most fascinating of them all. Also known as the ant-hill tiger, or little
spotted cat, this is the smallest of the African felids. It is reputed to be
exceptionally fierce.Virtually water independent, receiving most if not all
their moisture needs from their prey. They also have higher energy
requirements than larger African wild cats.
Zoological name: Felis negripes
Species: Just slightly bigger than the Asian rusty spotted cat and
the South American kodkod (similar to a very small domestic cat).Unlike most
spotted cats, the black-footed cat's skin is an un-pigmented pink.
There are two recognised subspecies:
- F. n. nigripes East Cape Province and Namibia
- F. n. thomasi Botswana and East Cape Province
- F. n. thomasi has a darker coat than F. n. nigripes.
Physical appearance: With a shoulder height of approximately 22cm
and a body length of 50cm, the average male weighs in at about 2.2kg -
however the female often weighs as little as 1.5kg and as such can be
classified as the smallest of all wild cats. In appearance the cat has a
large broad head in proportion to its small body - its coat colour varies
from light sandy brown to reddish brown and is covered with dark spotted
patches which sometime coalesce into broken stripes. The legs of the
black-footed are bared with dark horizontal stripes and the tail is broken
with dark rings and terminates in a black tip. The pads of its feet are
black and are surrounded by long black hairs which give the small felid its
name as well as protecting its feet from the heat of the semi-desert
habitat.
Presence on the planet: In the genus Felis and has just two named
sub-species. Felis nigripes nigripes displaying a paler coat is found in the
northern parts of its range (Botswana, Namibia and Angola) and Felis
nigripes thomasi having a darker coat, is native to the Eastern Cape
Provence and the southern parts of South Africa.
Habitat:
The black-footed cat is restricted to the arid lands of Southern Africa. It
is typically associated with open, sandy, grassy habitats with sparse shrub
and tree cover, such as the Kalahari and Karoo regions . A. Sliwa describes
long grass with high rodent and bird densities as optimal habitat.
Diet:Their diet consists of shrews, gerbils, hares, lizards and
beetles. In one study, 57% of stomachs contained murid or mouse-like
rodents, and 43% contained arachnids. Highly opportunistic, black-footed
cats will take any prey they can overpower. One male was recorded as having
ingested 450 grammes in one night, nearly one third of his bodyweight.
Uneaten food is cached for later. They have been observed to scavenge
springbok carcasses and take birds in the air. Black-footed cats are
regularly reported to hang onto the throats of sheep until they pierce their
jugular veins! While eating they empty the contents of their prey’s
stomachs and intestines, pulling them through their teeth to squeeze the
contents out.
They will drink if water is available but they usually get all the moisture
they require from their prey. It has been reported that they will also eat a
lot of grass.
Reproduction & Offspring: These cats have a gestation period of
about 65 days. Litters range from one to three kittens. The altricial
kittens first leave their burrow in about 30 days and shortly thereafter,
begin eating solid food. Although kittens grow fairly quickly, they do not
reach maturity until about a year and a half.
