Wildcat (Felis silvestris)

Head-body length: 48–68cm. Tail length: 21–38cm. Weight: 2.5–8kg. Lifespan: Up to 12 years.

Wildcats are the only member of the cat family native to Britain. They look very similar to domestic tabby cats but are larger, have a stockier build and a thick bushy tail, which has 3–5 broad black bands of fur and a rounded black tip. The colour of their coat varies from greyish to yellowish-brown.

They are shy, solitary and mostly nocturnal animals that live in isolated woods and rocky places. It's no wonder few people have ever seen one! They rest in dens among boulders, tree roots or in empty badger setts. Their excellent night vision and extremely sensitive hearing make them fearsome and effective predators.

Breeding:

Wildcats usually mate in February and females have a single litter of 3–4 kittens some time between April & September. The kittens are born blind and weigh about 120–165g each. They are independent within 5 months and after 10 months they are almost fully grown and sexually mature.

Diet:

Small rodents including voles and mice as well as rabbits, hares, some birds and fish.

Habitat:

Edges of mountains and moorlands, where there is rough grazing, and forests, which they use for shelter and hunting. They dislike high mountain areas, exposed coasts and fertile lowlands with intensive farming.

Predators & threats:

Foxes, stoats and pine martens which sometimes take kittens. Adults are also killed on the roads or shot for pest control.

Status & distribution:

Wildcats are extinct in England and Wales but there are still small increasing populations in Scotland, north of Edinburgh and Glasgow. They are absent from the Scottish Islands.

Did you know?...

In the 16th century, when Britain was mostly covered by forests, wildcats were found all over the country but by 1850, they were extinct throughout most of England and the last ones were killed in Durham and Northumberland in 1853.