Meet the African black footed cat!
If you’re a safari enthusiast, you’re probably aware that there are many species of wild cats in Africa, which include the African lion, cheetah, leopard, African golden cat, serval and caracal.
However, did you know there’s an additional species of wild cat in Africa – recognized as one of the smallest cat species in the world? Black footed cats are a small spotted cat, half the size of a domestic cat, and subdivided into two species – Felis nigripes nigripes and Felis nigripes thomasi.
If you’re genuinely interested in African wild cats, here’s everything you should know about these tiny – and fascinating – cats.
Black footed cat characteristics
Whilst on a safari game drive you may come across a small cat that you don’t recognise. In order to know whether it’s an African black-footed cat, consider these characteristics that distinguish it from the other African wild cat species:
- Looks: Despite the species name, only the underparts of the feet and the cat’s pads are black. The cat has a stocky build with large eyes, rounded ears, and a black-tipped short tail. The face has the look of a typical domestic cat – with diagonal black lines that run across the outer corner of each eye to cheeks. Ears are plain and slightly rounded with the same color as the body. When threatened or stalked, they flatten their ears to keep a low profile.
- Size: Being one of the smallest wild cats in the world, they measure half the size of a typical domestic cat. Their lengths vary from male to female. Males can reach around 45 cm in length while females reach around 40 cm.
- Weight: Adult male cats weigh around 1.9 kgs with their female counterparts measuring 1.3 kgs.
- Coat: Their fur varies in color ranging from brown to cinnamon. Their base colors range from much paler in their northern drier areas to reddish- fawn in their southern parts. Their fur is patterned with brown or black spots that merge to form rings on their legs, tails, and necks, and sometimes merge to form bars or stripes. Every coat is unique, meaning they can be used to identify one individual from another.
- Age: In the wild, these cats have a life-term of 8 years, which doubles to 16 years when domesticated or kept in captivity.
Range & habitat
Africa black footed cats are found in only three countries in Southern Africa: Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. They are mostly found in scrub deserts, sand plains, and short to medium-length grass plains, and are often seen in grassy areas with high densities of their favourite foods – birds and rodents. They are also found in some African deserts, such as the Kalahari in Botswana and South Africa and the Karoo in South Africa.
Their population size is estimated at around 13,867, with about 9,707 estimated to be mature. Because of the species’ patchy distribution, no subpopulation is estimated to contain more than 1,000 adult individuals.
Diet
The cats feed mainly on birds, insects, small lizards, and mice. They have adapted well to their dry habitats, and need very little water for their survival.
Behaviour & lifestyle
Black footed cats are known to be primarily terrestrial and nocturnal, sleeping up to 14 hours each day.
Because of their high metabolic rates they can eat up to a third of their body weight per night. When they are satisfied, or their meals are big, they have a tendency to keep leftovers in termite mounds or aardvark digs and caves.
When hunting in areas with little to no cover, black footed cats flatten their ears and keep their body low to the ground. Their hunting tactic is to sneak up on prey and pounce on them instantly. Because of their calculated hunting moves, they are able to catch small birds in flight, but more frequently opportunistically hunt small mammals, insects, and reptiles.
Their sleeping places are mostly unused aardvarks and springhare burrows or rock crevices. Each night on their hunting expedition these small cats can wander up to 20 km from their burrows in search of food. They maintain their home ranges through urine spraying, rubbing on objects, and scent marking such as claw raking and leaving uncovered feces.
Black footed cats are very vocal; they emit loud, deep throat voices, which are frequently repeated during their breeding seasons. Females use soft calls when communicating with kittens.
Reproduction
Males and females are usually solitary except during mating season when they come together to breed. Females of the species have shorter estrus than other cat species, and their gestation periods are about 63-68 days.
Their litter size is usually from one to four, most commonly having two kittens. Kittens are born with their eyes closed and opens as soon as they are six days of age. They are weaned in two months and sexually mature within twelve months.
Fun black footed cat facts
- Black footed cats are one of the deadliest cats, hunting with a success rate of around 60%.
- They’re the smallest cats in Africa with a whole-body length of 50-72 cm.
- They are opportunistic hunters, walking long distances during night hunts.
- They are solitary, with both sexes making urine territories.
- The vision of a black footed cat is around six times better than that of humans.
- In parts of South Africa these cats are called miershooptier, Afrikaans for ‘anthill tiger’.
Meet the black footed cat
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African Black-Footed Cat: An Introduction
The African black-footed cat is a small wild cat species found in Africa. It is recognized as one of the smallest cat species in the world. While Africa is home to many other iconic wild cats like the African lion, cheetah, leopard, African golden cat, serval, and caracal, the black-footed cat stands out due to its unique characteristics and behavior.
Characteristics of the African Black-Footed Cat
To identify an African black-footed cat, you can look for the following characteristics:
Looks: Despite its name, only the underparts of the feet and the cat's pads are black. The cat has a stocky build with large eyes, rounded ears, and a black-tipped short tail. The face resembles that of a typical domestic cat, with diagonal black lines running across the outer corner of each eye to the cheeks. The ears are plain and slightly rounded, with the same color as the body.
Size: The African black-footed cat is one of the smallest wild cats in the world, measuring about half the size of a typical domestic cat. The length of males can reach around 45 cm, while females reach around 40 cm.
Weight: Adult male black-footed cats weigh around 1.9 kg, while females weigh approximately 1.3 kg.
Coat: The fur of black-footed cats varies in color, ranging from brown to cinnamon. Their base colors range from much paler in northern drier areas to reddish-fawn in southern parts. Their fur is patterned with brown or black spots that merge to form rings on their legs, tails, and necks, and sometimes merge to form bars or stripes. Each coat is unique, allowing individuals to be identified based on their fur patterns.
Age: In the wild, black-footed cats have a lifespan of around 8 years, which can double to 16 years when they are domesticated or kept in captivity.
Range and Habitat
African black-footed cats are found in only three countries in Southern Africa: Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. They primarily inhabit scrub deserts, sand plains, and short to medium-length grass plains. These cats are often seen in grassy areas with high densities of their favorite foods, such as birds and rodents. They can also be found in some African deserts, including the Kalahari in Botswana and South Africa, and the Karoo in South Africa.
The population size of African black-footed cats is estimated to be around 13,867, with about 9,707 estimated to be mature individuals. Due to their patchy distribution, no subpopulation is estimated to contain more than 1,000 adult individuals.
Diet and Hunting Behavior
Black-footed cats primarily feed on birds, insects, small lizards, and mice. They have adapted well to their dry habitats and require very little water for survival.
These cats are primarily terrestrial and nocturnal, sleeping up to 14 hours each day. Due to their high metabolic rates, they can eat up to a third of their body weight per night. When they are satisfied or their meals are large, they tend to keep leftovers in termite mounds, aardvark digs, or caves.
When hunting in areas with little to no cover, black-footed cats flatten their ears and keep their bodies low to the ground. Their hunting tactic involves sneaking up on prey and pouncing on them instantly. They are known for their calculated hunting moves, which allow them to catch small birds in flight. However, they more frequently opportunistically hunt small mammals, insects, and reptiles.
Behavior and Reproduction
Black-footed cats are solitary animals, with both males and females marking their territories with urine spraying, rubbing on objects, and scent marking through claw raking and leaving uncovered feces. They are also vocal animals, emitting loud, deep throat voices, especially during their breeding seasons. Females use soft calls when communicating with their kittens.
Males and females usually come together only during the mating season. Female black-footed cats have shorter estrus periods compared to other cat species, and their gestation periods last about 63-68 days. They typically give birth to litters of one to four kittens, with two kittens being the most common. The kittens are born with their eyes closed, which open when they are around six days old. They are weaned within two months and become sexually mature within twelve months.
Fun Facts about African Black-Footed Cats
Here are some interesting facts about African black-footed cats:
- They have a high hunting success rate of around 60%, making them one of the deadliest cats.
- They are the smallest cats in Africa, with a whole-body length ranging from 50 to 72 cm.
- They are opportunistic hunters and can walk long distances during night hunts.
- Both male and female black-footed cats establish urine territories.
- Their vision is approximately six times better than that of humans.
- In some parts of South Africa, they are called "miershooptier," which means "anthill tiger" in Afrikaans.
I hope you found this information about the African black-footed cat interesting! If you have any more questions or want to know more about any specific aspect, feel free to ask.
