Leopard Cat: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Wild Cats · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. It is about as big as a pet cat, but slimmer, with longer legs and clear webs of skin between its toes.
2. They vary so much in colour and size that experts first took them for several species. Southern ones are yellowish brown, northern ones silver grey.
3. The Bengal cat, a pet breed shown at cat shows since the 1970s, comes from crossing leopard cats with house cats.
4. Bones at least 5,000 years old, dug up in ancient villages in central China, suggest leopard cats once lived alongside people there.
5. It can live high in the mountains too. In 2012, one was recorded in Nepal at 4,474 m.

The quiz

1. What does a leopard cat have between its toes?

• Webs of skin (correct)
• Sharp spines
• Long feathers
• Nothing at all

It has well-defined webs between its toes.

2. Why did scientists first think leopard cats were several species?

• They live only on separate islands
• Some have stripes and horns
• Some are active only in summer
• They vary a lot in colour and size (correct)

Across their huge range, their colour, spots and size differ a lot.

3. Which pet cat breed comes from leopard cats crossed with house cats?

• The Persian
• The Siamese
• The Bengal (correct)
• The Maine Coon

Breeders created the Bengal by crossing these wild cats with house cats.

4. How old are the leopard cat bones found in ancient Chinese villages?

• About 50 years
• At least 5,000 years (correct)
• About 500 years
• About 50 million years

Dating showed the bones are at least 5,000 years old.

5. How high up was a leopard cat recorded in Nepal in 2012?

• At 44 m
• At 447 m
• At 4,474 m (correct)
• At 9,000 m

The highest record, from 2012, is 4,474 m.

More about the Leopard Cat

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries