African Wildcat: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Wild Hunters · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Every pet cat has a wild ancestor: the African wildcat. Some were tamed in the Near East about 10,000 years ago.
2. Its hearing is sharp enough to pinpoint where prey is hiding. Then it creeps forward slowly, using plants as cover.
3. African wildcats hardly ever drink water. They hunt mostly mice, rats, birds, reptiles and insects.
4. At about three months old, kittens start learning to hunt from their mother. At around six months, they leave to live on their own.
5. The two species are so alike that a pet cat can carry and give birth to an African wildcat kitten.

The quiz

1. Which animal is descended from the African wildcat?

• The lion
• The domestic cat (correct)
• The cheetah
• The lynx

Pet cats descend from African wildcats, first tamed about 10,000 years ago.

2. Which sense lets the African wildcat find prey so precisely?

• Taste
• Touch
• Hearing (correct)
• Sense of heat

Its hearing is so fine that it can locate prey precisely.

3. How often do African wildcats drink water?

• Rarely (correct)
• Every hour
• Only from the sea
• Several times every night

African wildcats rarely drink water.

4. At about what age do African wildcat kittens leave their family?

• Two weeks
• Three years
• Five years
• Six months (correct)

They become independent at around six months, after learning to hunt from their mother.

5. Which animal can carry and give birth to an African wildcat kitten?

• A fox
• A domestic cat (correct)
• A dog
• A rabbit

The species are so similar that a pet cat can carry a wildcat embryo.

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