If you’re genuinely interested in African wild cats, here’s everything you should know about these tiny – and fascinating – cats. The black-footed cat (Felis nigripes), also called the small-spotted cat, is the smallest wild cat in Africa, having a head-and-body length of 35–52 cm (14–20 in). The domesticated cats you refer to are semi-domesticated random bred cats with black paw pads and fur around the pads, I guess, just like the wild cat species the black-footed cat but they are not wild cat hybrids in my opinion. 50 of them in captivity and those are in zoos around 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. Bobcats are less than a whisker away from the wild! There are only (apx.) Hi Vincent. SIZE The Black-footed Cat is one of the smallest cat species in the world, less than half the size of an average domestic cat. Increasing interspecific competitions and intraguild predation may … They are the smallest African wild cat there is, they are very rare and endangered. Domestic cats are a whisker away from the wild. Males are larger than females. Domestic cats and big cats like to stalk their prey. They are not domestic cats. Black-footed cats live solitary lives and are only found in the company of others when breeding or in the case of a mother with dependent offspring. The Black-footed Cat may look like a domesticated cat, but it is actually one of South Africa’s beautiful wild cats, and it’s a threatened species! The overall body length of the black footed cats is between 50-72 cm. The black-footed cat gets also killed in collisions with vehicles and is subject to predation from snakes, jackals, caracals and owls as well as opportunistically being killed by domestic dogs. Johannesburg, South Africa (11 January 2020) – The Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital treats indigenous wildlife free of charge, relying solely on their community’s support. It won’t take much to push the wild button which won’t be pleasurable in the home. Big cats strike with lightning speed, use their claws to hold down captured prey, and finish things off with a bite to the vertebra. Despite its name, only the soles of its feet are black or dark brown. 2. Stealth is a key weapon for both. You will notice that domestic cats kill birds and rodents in a similar manner. The Black-footed cat (F. nigripes) will breed with both domestic cats and F. lybica, though the fertility of the hybrid offspring is not recorded. They are strictly nocturnal, hunting only at night, sleeping during the day in abandoned termite mounds or unoccupied springhare, porcupine or aardvark burrows. They are wild cats with origins in Africa. Declaw. Their instinct is that of a wild cat and they have the needs of a wild cat. With its bold small spots and stripes on the tawny fur, it is well camouflaged, especially on moonlit nights. The typical weight range of male black footed cats is between 1.7 to 2.4 kg and that of females is 1-1.6 kg. Black Footed Cats Are Africa’s Smallest Known Wild Cat Species. Native to the grasslands of southern Africa, the black-footed cat has an endearingly round face and a light brown, black-spotted body that is small even compared to domestic cats. BODY The Black-footed Cat is very similar looking to a long-haired domestic cat, and has a short thin tapering tail. They stand at a height of mere 20 cm from the ground and weighs never greater than 3 kilograms. There are no known examples of black-footed wild cat hybrids and they only live in Africa. And stripes on the tawny fur, it is well camouflaged, especially on moonlit.! 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