Wild Far Eastern cat. Types of forest cats and interesting facts about them. Amur forest cat - who is it

The Amur forest cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) is a subspecies of the Bengal cat. It is considered a relative of the Amur tiger and the Far Eastern leopard. However, unlike its counterparts, the Far Eastern cat was undeservedly deprived of attention.

Amur forest cat: description of the species

Cold indifference to this harmless animal led to disappointing consequences - now the Amur cat is listed in the Red Book as an endangered subspecies. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, last years the situation is leveling out - the population is gradually increasing.

The Amur cat settled along the shores of the Sea of ​​Japan and near the Amur basin. In addition to Russia, the Far Eastern cat is common in China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula, inhabiting the entire space from Hindustan up to the Malay Archipelago.

Since the area inhabited by the Amur cat is large and heterogeneous in climate feature, the habits of wild cats from different areas may differ from each other. In particular, the habitat affects the breeding periods and the mass of cats.

The tropical orientation of the Far Eastern cat suggests that impenetrable forests are not the best place for animals like him. However, circumstances developed in such a way that the Amur cat emigrated to the snowy Ussuri Territory and stayed there to live forever.

Appearance

The weight of an adult Amur cat varies from 4 to 7 kg, there are also especially large specimens with a paddle up to 15 kg. The body length of the cat reaches 75-90 cm, the tail of the representatives of the subspecies reaches 40 cm in size.

Some wild cats are inferior in volume to domestic individuals. The size of the Far Eastern cats depends both on the location and on the season. In the summer, thanks to the diligently accumulating fat, the leopard cat weighs much more than in the winter, when it wastes the energy reserves acquired over the summer.

Table 1. Exterior of the Amur forest cat

Part of the body	Description
Head Jaws	Small in size, has an elongated shape Deep-set, oval-shaped, set a short distance apart Rounded, slightly oblong, without tassels at the ends, mobile Large, grey-brown. On the nose there is a wide bare stripe without wool Equipped with sharp fangs, the upper fangs are long and thick
limbs claws	Medium length, with small claws Short, strong, easily retracted into the paws
Tail tail tip	long, thin, half body length, covered with dense and fluffy fur Black or dark grey, no tassel

Color

The color of the Far Eastern cat was formed in close connection with the pragmatic function. AT summer period when the sun is high, the dense leafy crowns scatter glare everywhere. The resulting play of light and shadow became the prototype for the stripes that adorn the muzzle of a wild cat. In the iridescent rays of the sun, the color of the beast, maneuvering between the trees, provides reliable camouflage. The predator will hardly understand whether it is running wild cat or is it just a shimmering shadow from the branches. All representatives of the subspecies, without exception, have such stripes. This coloration arose as a result of adaptation to environment- mixed Ussuri taiga.

Merging with the background is the main function of the bizarre color of the wild cat

The number of spots on an Amur cat is an indicator of age. The younger the cat, the less spots cover its coat. Spots can be either clear or blurry. It was for these dark red circles that the forest cat was nicknamed the “money cat” by the Japanese - these spots were very much like old Japanese coins in their view. In young individuals, leopard coloring is more pronounced. Over the years, the color becomes less contrasting, tending to uniformity.

In general, the color of the Far Eastern forest cat is so heterogeneous that for clarity it makes sense to resort to a schematic description:

Table 2. Color of the Amur forest cat

Part of the body	Color
Head	Two white stripes run parallel from the inner corners of the eyes up the forehead and further along the crown of the head.
The chin	almost white
Throat	Four - five rusty-brown transverse stripes
Back	Three brown stripes formed by elongated narrow spots. Sometimes merge into one wide belt
Sides and lower body	Always a few shades lighter than the back
Stomach	Off-white with yellow undertones
Front legs	transverse stripes
Tail	Dark gray, sometimes one-color, more often it has up to seven black-gray incomplete rings. Tail tip pure black or dark gray

Fur

The fur of the Amur cat reaches a length of five centimeters, which is why the animal reminds many of a plush toy. But first impressions are deceiving. The color of the coat can vary from gray-yellow to gray-brown. Fortunately for the leopard cat, its fur is of little value: as a furry animal, it does not attract hunters.

Despite the thick warm fur, the snow does not best friend Amur cat

In winter, the fur of wild cats is lighter and thicker, which prevents hypothermia. Far Eastern cats shed twice a year - in spring and autumn.

population status

At the moment, the Amur forest cat is listed in the Red Book. The exact number of cats of this subspecies is unknown today. According to rough estimates, it does not exceed two and a half - three thousand individuals.

According to the conventional wisdom, the number Amur cats decreased by at least a third. Partly responsible for the sharp decrease in wild cats lies with the person himself, since he is involved in:

• plowing virgin soil;
• cutting down bushes;
• setting fire to pegs (small forests in the fields).

Many representatives of the subspecies fell into hunting traps and loops, originally intended for hares. Uncontrolled natural fires have also played their disastrous role.

By the way! In Soviet times, a forest cat was considered an enemy of man along with a wolf and a lynx. For the capture and killing of wild cats, the village council provided a reward, which led to an increase in those wishing to exterminate a harmless cat.

All the negative factors described above led to the fact that in 2015 there were only a few thousand Amur forest cats.

Prevention of extermination

Thanks to the efforts of animal rights activists, a significant fine was introduced for the destruction of Amur cats, reaching several thousand rubles. In the near future, it is planned to systematically inform local residents, especially hunters, about rare representatives local fauna, as well as the usefulness of a wild cat in the fight against rodents. Also, Far Eastern cats are under vigilant supervision in Japan, where about fifty representatives of the subspecies live.

reserves

It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of the protected areas of the regions, which ensure greater safety for animals. The list of such areas includes

• National Park "Land of the Leopard";
• nature reserve "Kedrovaya Pad";
• Bolshekhekhtsirsky reserve;
• Lazovsky Reserve;
• Khankai Reserve;
• Ussuri nature reserve.

Zoos

The Far Eastern leopard cat is a rare visitor to zoos. It is mainly kept by zoos in China and Japan, but in Russia there are several places where this beast lives, for example, the Barnaul Zoo.

There are several reasons for such a low prevalence of the Amur cat. Firstly, catching a wild cat purposefully for the collection is far from an easy task. That is why the Amur cat has been and remains one of the most poorly studied subspecies.

Secondly, leopard cats languish in captivity. Even in a zoo, where no one and nothing threatens the cat, wild beast remains wild and extremely cautious. As a rule, he builds a hole for himself or uses an already prepared one, only occasionally making contact with people and other inhabitants.

Despite the inability of wild cats to live in a cage, in zoos and aviaries, the life expectancy of representatives of the subspecies is 17-18 years, while in the wild they are given 10-12 years. However, there are a variety of assumptions about the number of years allotted to the forest cat by nature. Someone argues that the mark of 18 years is not the limit.

Amur cat in the wild

Despite the dangers that await the beast at every turn, the leopard cat is deservedly considered a long-liver among cats. Perhaps the secret of longevity of the Amur cat is in the specific measured rhythm of life and phlegmatic temperament.

Least of all, the Amur cat is characterized by haste. In winter, his metabolism and heart rate slow down. During the cold season, life seems to freeze for a wild cat, which prolongs the number of days allotted to him.

The fluffy beast lives in all suitable zones - in broad-leaved and coniferous forests, in the steppe, on the banks of lakes and rivers.

Lifestyle

Far Eastern forest cats are avid loners. To notice them in someone's company is a rarity. The cases when leopard cats can be found in pairs can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Otherwise, these self-sufficient animals live and hunt in complete solitude.

The Ussuri taiga is secretly divided by leopard cats into "estates" with an area of ​​approximately 9-10 km 2 - each with its own owner. The size of the personal plot of each Amur cat depends on the abundance of prey.

The leopard cat is very attached to a certain area and is faithful to its habitat. He does not leave his territory even when faced with great danger.

In the spring, during the mating season, Far Eastern cats remember that they are not alone in the universe, and begin to look for a mate. On such days, the quiet, thoughtful forest is filled with the abrupt growls of males looking for girlfriends. Often in the process of searching, they come close to nearby settlements and even enter them.

By the way! The roar is the only sound that can be heard from the Far Eastern cat. In other cases, the cat prefers to hiss, but does not do it often - only in case of a direct threat.

The hissing sound of a leopard cat is almost indistinguishable to the human ear.

Video - The life of an Amur cat in the harsh taiga

reproduction

The mating season directly depends on the territory in which the Far Eastern cat lives. For northern regions mating activity falls at the end of February and all of March, while for the south there is no restriction in the season.

Females carry kittens for 9-10 weeks, bringing up to four kittens by early summer. The optimal number of cubs in a litter is one or two individuals.

Far Eastern cats can rightly be called excellent parents. Females carefully protect kittens, periodically transferring them to a new place at the slightest hint of danger.

Males take part in feeding the cubs along with females. Guardianship can be extended up to six months.

In rare cases, primiparous females feel anxious and ignore their young. There were situations in which domestic cats took abandoned wild kittens under their care.

growing up

Cubs are born blind and unsuitable for independent life. Their eyes open on the tenth day. Kittens begin to explore nearby territories from two months, gradually leaving the den.

After six months, they are already independent enough to leave the "parental house" and equip their own site for hunting and recreation. According to various estimates, Far Eastern cats become fully mature in a year and a half.

Hybridization

Leopard cats do not disdain domestic cats in the spring, as a result of which many hybrids are born. Kittens, which are a mixture of domestic and wild individuals, do not become tame, and, inheriting their father's genes, rush into the forest. The home way of life cannot be forcibly instilled in these little savages.

The attitude towards such half-breeds is ambivalent. Some experts believe that such kittens pose a danger to the Amur cats themselves. The reason is that the hybrids later mate with true forest wildcats themselves, and subsequent offspring move further and further away from their original roots. If the situation does not change, then the Amur cat will sooner or later face real threat extinction.

By the way! When crossing wild individuals with domesticated relatives, an interesting pattern was revealed: males born in this unequal union turned out to be barren, while cats could have offspring.

Scientists at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on the contrary, are confident that interspecific crossing will help Amur cats increase their numbers and disappear from the Red Book forever. However, they do not suggest leaving the spontaneous March crossing of cats as it is. According to experts, it is necessary to use artificial insemination (IVF) to control mating between domestic and wild individuals. On the this moment experiments are ongoing.

Main Enemies

The life of a forest cat can hardly be called simple. In the snowy forests of the taiga, he is surrounded by many enemies - wolves, golden eagles, owls, eagle owls. Sable eats blind defenseless kittens with pleasure, scooping them out of their nests. It is not surprising that in the midst of such dangerous predators the Amur cat quickly learned caution, which became one of its characteristic features.

Even those representatives of the fauna that are its potential dinner can emerge victorious from the fight with the forest cat. For example, martens and ferrets are significant opponents. Any miss in the decisive battle can turn into fatal for the Amur cat. Hunting dogs also show hostility to wild cats and pose a significant threat to them.

Hunting

Amur cats are born and lucky hunters. Prey caught can range from small rodents to rabbits and roe deer. Not every dog ​​will dare to challenge a wild cat. The advantage of a leopard cat, like wild cats in general, is that it can hunt not only "horizontally", but also "vertically".

Wild cats perfectly mastered the trees, and therefore they are dangerous not only on the ground. To overtake a gaping jay, to destroy a nest with chicks is a trifling matter for these dexterous animals. As for the rest, Far Eastern cats clearly prefer conservation to energy consumption. Just as they prefer waiting and ambush to direct confrontation. This quality is perfectly reflected in their habit of overtaking prey with one jump.

Strategist Skills

If necessary, there is no doubt that the cat will show itself with better side and emerge victorious even from a fight with an enemy to whom he is inferior both in size and in strength. No wonder many hunters notice that they would rather meet with a lynx than with this furry beast. But the fluffy beast will not hurry to rush headlong at the enemy that is superior to him.

The Amur cat is, first of all, a strategist. He knows how to wait and knows the value of time. Therefore, the battle with the Amur cat is not least a battle of intellects. To open confrontation, the leopard cat prefers to wait in ambush, assuming that the prey will come by itself. In many cases, the cat's calculations turn out to be correct.

dwelling

Organizing a nest for itself, the forest cat again manifests itself as a competent analyst, calculating the moves of a predator in advance. As a home, Amur cats prefer snow-covered windbreaks, which not every animal dares to enter. If someone is lucky enough to get to the Far Eastern cat, then catching it without twisting the limbs is an almost impossible task.

A wild cat is too smart to stop at one cover. Usually he constructs several tactically important points, between which he moves, in order to further complicate the task of the predator. The leopard cat does not disdain the burrows left by other animals. Sometimes the choice of forest cats also falls on the crevices of rocks. When frost hits, the Amur cat chooses the most protected place - it hibernates there.

Migration

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is a tireless traveler. Frequent change places is not groundless: each new dwelling is explained by the greater security with which the leopard cat seeks to surround itself.

Before the snow falls, the Amur cat must move to areas densely covered with dense shrubs, in order to subsequently lie under it. It is in the area of ​​dense thickets that the snow is maximally compacted, creating a real impregnable "ice fortress" with branches in the form of a frame.

When the frost reaches a critical point, wild cats rush to the villages. It is at such moments that a person most often catches them. Cats are attracted to old barns, sheds, and other abandoned buildings because they are teeming with rodents. In warmer seasons, the Amur cat prefers a variety of forest edges, meadows with tall dense grass, and banks of water bodies.

Activity Hours

Given the extreme caution and control over the situation inherent in forest cats, it is almost impossible to see them during a walk during the day. Amur cats are twilight animals that prefer the cover of night to the light of day. Spending all day in his secluded place, a wild cat waits for sunset to hunt, remaining as unnoticed as possible.

Nutrition

In the conditions of severe winters, Amur cats have adapted to a cumulative lifestyle. The period of active hunting and feeding occurs in the Far Eastern cats in the summer and early autumn.

I must say that wild cats have an immodest appetite. In summer, Amur cats eat 15-20 mice and 3-4 birds a day. In addition to mice and birds, the menu of wild cats includes rodents, snakes, squirrels, hares, muskrats. In a word, any small warm-blooded animals that will catch the eye of an animal. In some cases, they even manage to eat roe deer.

However, this "gluttony" becomes completely understandable, given the fact that in winter these animals often sit for weeks without food, and even without water, which is a substitute for snow. Accumulating fat over the summer and gradually spending it in the winter is the only way for a wild cat to survive. Moreover, Amur cats also store the food itself, hiding it close to their home.

In winter, Amur cats rarely leave their homes and prefer "passive" hunting, patiently waiting for some rodent that mistakenly ran into its shelter. An Amur cat can afford to chase through snowdrifts only in extreme cases, since he risks getting bogged down in the snow and getting cold.

A real holiday for the Amur cat comes when he discovers partridges stuck under the snow in the form of an almost ready dish. These birds sit on branches until evening, and at night they fall into the snow, forming a snow capsule. However, in the morning they do not always manage to get out from under the formed crust. Then it comes finest hour a cat - his instinct allows you to quickly find a still fresh corpse, dig it up and eat it.

Despite the fact that a wild cat is very reluctant to make contact with humans and other animals, there are cases when Amur cats visited neighboring villages in search of easy prey. It could be chickens or other poultry.

Attitude towards a person

Despite the fact that hunters prefer to avoid the leopard cat, this beast is not aggressive towards humans. In the absence of a reason, he will never attack first. Even in those cases when a person will persistently try to catch a cat or find his home, he will prefer defense to attack, and at any opportunity will disappear from sight.

Unfortunately, some hunters mindlessly shoot wild cats for fun, endangering the species itself.

As already mentioned, a secretive lifestyle is not a hindrance for periodic forays into the villages - the main place of accumulation of treasured living creatures. Some cats have been repeatedly caught trying to steal a few chickens. The outcome of such tricks is different - some animals are forgiven and released into the wild, some are killed, and the most successful are awarded a place in the zoo and live in warmth and satiety.

Amur cat and man

With a long stay side by side with a man, a forest cat gets used to people and stops hiding from them. However, the trust of this cat extends only to a narrow circle of familiar, trusted individuals. In relation to strangers, the Far Eastern cat will always be wary.

A domesticated neutered cat loses the traits of wildness. By habits and temperament, he approaches an ordinary domestic cat. The Amur cat is well accustomed to the tray, provided that its size is larger than an ordinary tray. It is desirable to use sawdust or sand as a filler.

domestication

When you first meet a Far Eastern cat, you can easily confuse it with other domestic cats. In this regard, the desire of some people to tame this furry beast is understandable.

There are several points of view on the possibility of domesticating a leopard cat and on the degree of humanity of such a decision. As previously noted, the Far Eastern cat is not adapted to life in captivity. This animal is a predator, a hunter, a strategist - at home, all these qualities remain out of work.

However, there are many examples of keeping an Amur cat both within the house and on the territory of the enclosure. Indeed, there is a chance to tame kittens up to three months old, but it should be borne in mind that upon reaching puberty, the beast will become uncontrollable and rush to its natural habitat. Grown up cats will never become domestic, regardless of the time spent next to a person.

Home conditions are inferior to those of an outdoor enclosure, since the enclosure can be equipped as close as possible to the forest environment familiar to a leopard cat. The degree of comfort of the pet and its longevity depend on the competent development of the enclosure plan.

It is advisable to allocate a special area in the aviary (one or more - depending on the area) and cover it with a thick layer of earth for the subsequent cultivation of herbaceous plants, such as clover and calendula. Plants will provide direct contact with the ground, the lack of which the Amur cat will acutely feel in captivity. A more detailed guide to arranging an aviary is given below.

Feeding

If the desire to tame a wild cat turned out to be great, you should still remember that he will never become completely domestic. The forest cat needs "live" food - the one for which he hunted so skillfully in the forest. Partridges, quails, rabbits, rodents.

Processed meat with the insides removed is also not suitable - the leopard cat consumes the contents of the intestines, the brain and other organs.

Careful monitoring of a feral cat's diet is essential to prevent obesity. Due to the fact that in captivity he spends a much smaller amount of energy, only periodic fasting days can save the animal from being overweight. It is recommended to spend a "hungry" day once a week - during this day the cat is forbidden to eat meat or live food.

Unbalanced feeding of the Amur cat can lead to excessive fullness and disease

On average, the daily norm of a wild cat includes two small rodents or one big rat, as well as 200-300 gr. lean meat (for example, beef or turkey).

By the way! Fish should be given to the cat no more than once a week. Otherwise, calcium will be gradually washed out of the animal's body, which can lead to rickets.

Castration

Timely castration of a pet can help to cope with the unbridled temper of a leopard cat, after which its rebellious temper is pacified. But those owners who would like to have Far Eastern cats in their collection are advised to think twice. Does it make sense to deprive the beast of the opportunity to produce offspring (even in the conditions of its gradual disappearance) in order to find a fluffy "toy", it is ultimately up to them to decide.

Is it possible to buy an Amur cat?

If all the above features of keeping a leopard cat do not scare off a potential owner, then he will have to pay a significant amount for this rare individual. At the moment, the price tag starts from 25 thousand rubles, and ends where it is convenient for a particular seller.

At the same time, we should not forget that there are no official suppliers of this breed, and a sold kitten can easily turn out to be a non-purebred. It is necessary to keep in mind the following fact: by purchasing an Amur cat, the buyer takes an indirect part in breaking the law.

The sale of Far Eastern forest cats is not only unofficial - it is illegal. Moreover, there is a gradual tightening of punishment for such an underground trade in Red Book animals. Given the crisis status of the Amur cat population, such measures are fully justified.

However, every rule has exceptions. There are also happy owners of Far Eastern cats who managed to find a common language with these difficult animals.

According to the reviews of happy owners, the leopard cat is a beast with character

The Amur forest cat is a mammal, a predatory animal of the cat family. This breed is closely related to the Bengal (Asian) cat. The second name of the Amur forest cat is "leopard". He got it thanks to his color, similar to the colors of a leopard.

Relatives of the Amur forest cat live in warm regions. Surprisingly, his ancestors came to the territory of the taiga. This is also due to the fact that, perhaps, it was once much warmer here than it is now. After the change of poles and the cold snap, these amazingly beautiful cats had to somehow adapt to the harsh climatic conditions Russia.

habitats

On the territory of Russia, a wild cat lives in the Far East, in the Amur Region and the Ussuri Territory. Outside Russian Federation settles on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan, in China and the Hindustan peninsula.

The habitat of the forest cat is thickets of bushes of river valleys, lakeside reed thickets, low foothills, overgrown mixed forest. Usually, the Amur cat does not climb high into the mountains. It tolerates cold harsh winters well, but is completely unsuited to life in snowy areas.

Description of the breed

Representatives of the breed of Amur forest cats are the smallest among Asian cats. According to the breed description appearance they are no different from pets:

• The weight adult varies from 4 to 8 kg.
• The body is strong and muscular. Its length, including the tail, is approximately one meter.
• The head is small and elongated.
• The eyes are large, deep-set and set at a short distance from each other.
• The ears are rounded in shape.
• The powerful paws of this animal are longer than those of domestic cat, and are equipped with short and strong claws.

The coat of the Amur forest cat is very thick and soft. The color can have various variations from gray-sand to yellow-brown. Oval reddish spots are scattered throughout the body. They may have a blurry or clear outline. Due to these stains, similar to ancient Chinese coins, in China it is called the "money cat". Three distinct stripes run along the back, several more stripes run on the throat and chest, and two more light stripes run along the forehead.

Wild steppe cats - lifestyle, character, the possibility of taming

Lifestyle and character

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is a solitary predator leading night image life. He is quite shy and cautious, so it is very difficult to spot him. When danger arises, it has a habit of climbing trees. The Amur forest cat prefers to hunt from ambush, overtaking the victim with a deft jump. He hunts well both on the ground and in trees.

The diet of a wild cat includes mouse-like rodents, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, fish and snakes. It can also handle larger animals such as hares or young roe deer. He usually hides the remains of half-eaten prey, burying them in the snow, and after a while returns to finish them. Despite shyness and caution, severe frosts force these cats to approach human dwellings and hunt rodents and poultry in old houses.

In the neighborhood with a wild forest cat, larger representatives of the cat family also live - these are lynx, leopard and tiger. Meeting with them can end badly for him, so he tries to avoid them. But it is worth noting that the Amur forest cats have a rather tough temper and great strength for their size. They are able to take on enemies larger than themselves without delay.

This representative of the cat family prefers to organize his lair in the hollows of old trees and rocky crevices. He also uses old, abandoned badger and fox burrows. The bottom of his dwelling is usually covered with dry foliage and grass. There are several temporary shelters on the site of the forest cat, which he visits from time to time. In severe winter, he uses one - the safest.

People have repeatedly tried to domesticate a forest cat. The positive results of such experiments are very low:

• At home, the life expectancy of these cats is short.
• The wild nature of the predator creates a danger to cohabitation with other pets. Yes, and he treats a person with caution.
• Even if you tame a tiny newborn kitten, he will still have the desire to run away into the forest.

reproduction

The breeding season for leopard cats is from February to March. With a loud, abrupt cry, the male calls the female to mate. If the female has two contenders, then competitive battles flare up between them with loud hissing and meowing, where the strongest of them wins.

The duration of the female's pregnancy lasts 65–72 days. By the end of May, a new offspring appears in the amount of 1-2 kittens, a maximum of 4 kittens can be. The weight of a newborn kitten is about 80 grams. They are born blind, and only after 10 days they will be able to see the world.

The mother cat cares and protects them. In case of danger hides kittens in another safe place. The father also takes part in the life of the kittens. By the age of six months, the animals become independent and leave the parental nest. The life span of these cats is 8 to 15 years.

An interesting fact: there are cases of mating a leopard cat with a domestic cat. Kittens of this litter are completely uncontrollable. Males resulting from such mating are incapable of procreation, unlike females.

Protection measures

There is no exact data on the number of individuals of Amur cats. Due to their secrecy, it is impossible to make even an approximate calculation. Despite this, the Far Eastern forest cat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

An interesting fact: the Far Eastern forest cat does not pose any danger to human life. However, during the Soviet period, for a long time he was on the black list, along with the wolf, and was subject to extermination. This innocent animal was killed for a small reward from the authorities. And the Chinese "money cat" for a long time exterminated because of his fur.

The main dangers for this feline species are: weather, habitat loss and interbreeding with domestic cats. To save forest cats, measures are being taken to protect them in the form of a complete ban on fishing and accidental capture. Extensive explanatory work is also being carried out among hunters and the public about the meaning and importance of preserving this species in the list of territorial fauna. It is known that in recent years the number of their population began to increase.

The wild Far Eastern cat has feline relatives living in warm countries. Probably, his ancestors got into the territory of the taiga in an incredible way, or it used to be much warmer here, and after a cold snap they had to adapt to harsh weather conditions.

Handsome leopard cat: spots and coloring

Not in vain wild dweller called a leopard cat. It is distinguished by a beautiful leopard coloring, which speaks without words about its predatory disposition. The researchers were able to classify the animal, it was assigned to a subspecies of the Bengal tropical cat from the genus of Asian cats. Although it is larger than its southern relatives, one can often see an outstanding specimen with a body length of up to a meter.

Far Eastern cat: description, external data

Leopard cat in general characteristics reaches a body length of 75-90 centimeters, and a fluffy tail - about 37 centimeters. The head is small and the legs are quite long. On the head are small ears, devoid of tassels, which makes it possible not to confuse the cat with its other, more dangerous relatives. and are located close to each other. The forest predator has sharp and long fangs, and the claws are short, but extremely strong.

It has soft, lush hairline. Network hairs in the back area reach 49 millimeters, so the cat has adapted well to life in the frosty conditions of the taiga. The main color of six is ​​grayish-yellow or grayish-brown with spots of dark red. All spots are blurred and uneven in color. The color of the sides gradually lightens towards the belly. On the back, the color is much darker than on the sides. Three brown stripes are clearly visible on it, which were formed from elongated stretched spots. In some cases, the spots begin to merge into a longitudinal belt.

In the throat area of ​​the animal there are several smoky-rusty stripes, on the front paws there are transverse lines of a rusty color. The cat has a whitish belly with a yellow tint. The spots are similar to Chinese coins, so the Chinese call the presented species "money cat". Two whitish stripes stretch from the inner corners of the eyes along the forehead and crown, between them they notice another red line that runs from the nose to the forehead and further to the neck. The tail can be not only one-color, but also have a dark gray color, where up to seven grayish rings are noticeable. At the tip, the tail is painted in a more saturated gray or black color.

Lifestyle

The Far Eastern cat is characterized by a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle. He is distinguished by fearfulness and caution, it is quite difficult to see him. Prefers to ambush, where he expects prey. Hiding in trees or on the ground, the victim overtakes in one jump. During the winter cold, it moves from snowy mountains down to the lake and river valleys. The tops of wooded hills are also attracted, where the snow is denser and blown away by gusts of wind.

Accommodation during cold weather

On the onset severe frosts begins to descend to human habitats to hunt rodents in dilapidated buildings. When danger is felt, it hides in the crowns of trees. Finds shelter in large hollows of trees and among the crevices of rocks overgrown with shrubs. Does not disdain old badger and fox holes. For convenience, leaves and dry grass are applied to the hollow. Perfectly climbs trees and rocks, knows how to swim. Amursky arranges several secluded places on his territory, where he systematically enters. AT winter time hiding in one of the most convenient lairs.

habitats

Where does the Far Eastern cat live? It is endemic, meaning it cannot be found anywhere else except Far East. He loves to settle and hunt along the entire length of the Amur River, near Lakes Khasan and Khanka, along the shores of the Sea of ​​Japan. Most of all, he likes the living conditions in the natural Khanka, Lazovsky and Kedrovaya Pad. The cat is attracted by sufficient remoteness from human settlements, and not by the danger of falling prey to hunters. After all, it has never been hunted for industrial purposes.

On the Japanese islands the animal also hunts. Therefore, it received another name - "Tsushima's leopard cat."

Grassy floodplains, mixed and deciduous forests are most suitable for the settlement of a wild cat. A little less often, you can meet him among the taiga, although his fluffy skin has been noticed there more than once. In Primorye, he hides among dense shrubs and reed lowlands, which are located along the banks of lakes and oxbow lakes. Locals often confuse the animal with reed cat, but this is a misrepresentation. This is the name of a completely different representative of the cat family, although their habitat and living conditions are very similar.

The Far Eastern leopard cat masters the rocks perfectly, but on more high mountains does not climb. The reason is the thick cover of snow that accumulates between the rocks. The predator can successfully hunt if the snow thickness is no more than 40 centimeters.

When winter begins and everything is covered with snow, the Amur cat is forced to hide in its nest. Far Eastern cat sits there until the snow is a hard, frozen crust that can support its weight. Only lactating cats and those animals that did not manage to get food before the blizzard come out to hunt in the snow.

food preference

The Amur cat feeds on small rodents: voles and mice. Sometimes he can catch waterfowl. Among the mountains it hunts for squirrels, from birds - for partridges, pheasants and partridges. In floodplains it hunts ducks and shepherd birds, muskrats and leopard cats during the breeding season of birds begin to destroy their nests, eat eggs and fledglings. The predator successfully catches the hares. During the period of low water in the floodplains, it catches for food small fish and crayfish.

Feeding in captivity

In captivity, the predator is fed lean meats. But without living food (mice and rats) it is difficult to keep the animal in shape and maintain the ability to reproduce. When deprived of live food, the Amur leopard cat begins to get bored, while behavioral features. It is typical for a predator to consume not only meat, but also the entrails, the contents of the intestines and part of the skin with feathers and wool. To ensure a full exchange, they offer to eat fish once a week. With an excess of fish food, calcium begins to be washed out of the body, which subsequently leads to the development of rickets.

Hunting features

For a forest cat, the desire for hunting is characteristic, which is in his blood. Without fear, he can attack cubs of large ungulates - chamois, roe deer, domestic and In areas of accumulation of hamsters and rats, the cat also feeds them well. Although even dogs are afraid to come close to such aggressive rodents. If there are nutria farms nearby, a cautious hunter also willingly pulls out young animals.

A wild leopard cat starts hunting a couple of hours before sunset. In the middle of the night, he sleeps a little in order to catch the unlucky victim at dawn. Chases rodents in a couple of jumps up to 3 meters in length. If the first roll fails, no further pursuit will follow.

When capturing small rodents, they ambush near a hole or in a stone gorge. In floodplains, it sits on the branches of a tree, inclined by long branches to the water. He catches a duck swimming under him with his paw or throws himself on her back. When chasing a squirrel, it climbs the most tall trees, where it begins to jump from branch to branch, like a marten.

When there is a lot of food, the cat is too voracious. A 2 month old baby can eat 10 mice a day. In captivity, an adult animal consumes up to 900 grams of meat. When eating food, he sits down on his hind legs and hunches a little, although he does not put his front paws on the ground. When biting off meat, it uses the side teeth.

mating season

The Far Eastern cat is an individualist. He prefers to live and go hunting alone. Only in the spring he begins to take care of finding a couple. From the beginning of the March days, the forest thickets are resounded with drawn-out cries, thanks to which the males try to call the females. Pregnancy in an animal lasts 65-70 days. AT last days May one or two kittens are born. by the most large quantity Four babies are considered a newborn. All of them are blind, their eyes open after ten days, and their weight does not exceed 80 grams.

A couple of months will pass, and little hunters will appear from the lair to start exploring the nearby thickets. Mom sensitively watches the kids, at the slightest danger, she begins to transfer them by the scruff of the neck to a safer place.

Amur forest cats are the smallest among Asian cats, they are only slightly larger than domestic cats. The size of the body together with the tail is about 90 centimeters, while the tail is long - about 40 centimeters. Females weigh 2.5-3 kilograms, while males are larger - 3-4 kilograms.

The Amur forest cat lives in Russia: In the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. They also live in China, Japan, Nepal, Burma, Korean Peninsula, Sumatra, Pakistan, Bali, Java and Bloneo. Amur forest cats are also called Amur cats, Far Eastern forest cats and Tsushima leopard cats.

Description of the Amur forest cat

The body is elongated, muscular and strong. The head is small, elongated, vibrissae are long. There is a wide bare stripe on the nose. The upper fangs are thick and long. Paws of medium length, they end with small claws. The ears are rounded, there are no tassels on their tips. The thin tail is covered with fluffy dense fur.

The coat is short, thick and lush. Winter fur is lighter and thicker than summer fur. The guard hairs are 4.9 centimeters long. The color of the fur is from gray-yellow to reddish-brown or dirty brown. Bottom part the body and sides are lighter than the back. On the body there are oval spots of dark red color with black or blurry edging.

Three brown-black stripes run along the back, which are formed from elongated narrow spots. Sometimes these bands can merge into one wide band. There are 4 or 5 transverse reddish-brown stripes on the throat. On the front paws there are transverse stripes. There are also spots on the belly, but they are lighter. The tail is usually solid dark gray or reddish, the tip is dark gray or black.

On each side of the head, 2 whitish stripes pass through the forehead from the eyes, and between them there is a reddish-brown stripe that runs from the nose to the neck. The nose is gray-red, the throat and chest are off-white, the chin is white. The outer ears are white with a dark border, and the tips are reddish white. Juveniles have more spots than adults.

Amur cat habitat

Amur forest cats live on the slopes of low mountains, in river and lake valleys, deaf burns, in meadows with tall grass, on forest edges and in reed beds. The mountains rise no higher than 500-600 meters.

These predators can often be found near human habitation. Areas where intensive economic activity is carried out are avoided by Amur forest cats.

The lifestyle of the Far Eastern forest cats

These animals can live alone or in pairs, but several individuals come together during the breeding season. Each cat owns its own individual plot of 5-9 square km. These predators are nocturnal and twilight. Amur forest cats are shy and distrustful, they are difficult to detect. They attack prey from an ambush, which is arranged on the ground or in trees.

In winter, Amur cats migrate from the mountains to the valleys and to the tops of the hills, from which the snow is blown away by the wind. During severe frosts, they can approach people's homes, where they catch rodents in old buildings.

If the Far Eastern cat is in danger, he is saved on a tree. They make shelters in hollows, rock crevices or among dense bushes, and they also gladly use the abandoned burrows of badgers and foxes. The bottom of the den is insulated with wood dust, foliage and grass.

Amur forest cats can climb trees, rocks and swim perfectly. On the site, the predator has several temporary shelters. In winter, the permanent safest dwelling is used.

Far Eastern forest cats feed on mouse-like rodents, chipmunks, squirrels, Manchurian hares, birds and their eggs. Sometimes they can attack larger prey, such as young deer and roe deer.

The life expectancy of Amur forest cats in nature is 8-10 years, and in captivity they can live up to 15 years.

Reproduction of Tsushima leopard cats

The breeding season for Amur cats in the northern parts of the range falls on February-March, and their kittens are born in May. AT southern parts range Far Eastern forest cats can breed throughout the year. At mating time, they emit rather loud and staccato cries. A pair is formed during estrus in a cat. The male accepts Active participation in raising babies.

Pregnancy lasts 65-72 days. There are 1-2 kittens in a litter, a maximum of 4 babies can be. They are helpless and blind, weighing no more than 80 grams. Kittens' eyes open after 10 days. The female takes care of the kittens, and if they are in danger, she takes them to a new shelter. At the age of 50 days, young cats get out of the den and examine the nearest territory. At 4 months, females already weigh 2.4 kilograms, and males - 3.2 kilograms. At 6 months, kittens become independent and leave their mother, looking for their own hunting ground. According to one data puberty in Amur forest cats, it occurs at 8-10 months, but according to other sources, they mature no earlier than 18 months.

The benefits and harms of Amur forest cats for humans

Tsushima leopard cats are not commercially hunted. But some hunters shoot them. Sometimes these predators steal domestic birds. Amur cats are not tamed.

Population of Far Eastern forest cats

Amur forest cats are in the Red Book of Russia. They are protected by the CITES Convention (Appendix II). AT recent times the population began to grow.

The main threat to the species is the loss of habitats: plowing of land, deforestation, fires. Also, the number of Amur cats is affected by hunting, weather conditions and hybridization with domestic cats.

The Amur forest cat is a rare subspecies, listed in the Red Book of the Primorsky Territory.

The highest density of Far Eastern steppe cats is observed in the Khasansky and Khankaysky districts of the Primorsky Territory, it is 3-4 individuals per 10 square kilometers. The approximate number of Amur forest cats in the Primorsky Territory is 2-2.5 thousand individuals.

The number of the Tsushima leopard cat on the island is extremely low, it does not exceed 80-110 individuals. There are 32 cats in Japanese zoos. In Japan, these predators are protected by the state.

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“Georgy Ivanovich, he’s Goga, he’s Gosha, he’s Yuri, he’s Gora, he’s Zhora, does he live here?” Remember? Well, how not to remember! Amur wild cat, Amur leopard cat, Far Eastern Amur cat, Ussuri forest cat… Do you feel there is something in common? Let's try to get to know the latter better and find out who is who.

Indeed, Felis bengalensis ssp. Euptilura from the class of mammals, the order of predators, the cat family, has several Russian-language names at once, and is also a rare subspecies of the Bengal cat. Its habitat in Russia is very limited, and the number is constantly declining. I have not found the reason for the appearance of several names of this interesting animal at once, but in the Red Book of the Primorsky Territory it is listed as the Amur forest cat - this is probably its most correct name.

Amur cat: external data

If you get to know the Amur forest cat closer, you can see that this is a very small animal, the body length of which is only 70–90 cm. And this is with a tail that is about 40 cm. The weight of animals is from 3 to 5 kg, less often it reaches 8 and it depends a lot on the season.

The color of the Amur cat is dull, from pale grayish-yellow to grayish-brown, with numerous and random dark red spots scattered throughout the body.

There are three pronounced stripes along the back of the animal, four or five more go down from the neck to the chest, and two light ones go along the forehead. The wool itself is very pleasant to the touch - soft and fluffy.

Where does the Far Eastern Amur cat live?

This animal can be found throughout the Primorsky and southern parts of the Khabarovsk Territory. In the Amur Region, the boundary of the range begins at the mouth of the Zeya River, then goes along the Amur a few tens of kilometers from the river, and in the southern bend, slightly moving away from it, turns southeast and, crossing the Amur below the mouth of the B. Bira, goes to the PRC. Outside of Russia, the Amur forest cat lives in Northeast and East China, on the Korean Peninsula and some islands in the Korea Strait.

The habitats of these animals are perfectly described in the Red Book of Primorsky Krai by K.S. Gaunt. He says that the Amur forest cat willingly settles in sparse forests of the Manchurian type, especially from Mongolian oak and hazel hazel; as well as in thickets of reeds and reeds with the presence of dry elevations, shrubs or individual trees.

What do Amur cats eat

These animals avoid open spaces and are ubiquitous in belt forests along rivers flowing among agricultural tracts. Wild cats do not like swampy areas overgrown with sedge; you will not meet them here.

The Amur cat feeds on mice, voles, squirrels, birds, and sometimes hunts hares and small roe deer.

Amur kittens: interesting facts

Amur cats and cats become adults by about 1 year, almost the same as our domestic cats. Just like with them, pregnancy lasts about 60-70 days, in the litter of the Amur forest, on average, 4 kittens are born. The female feeds the cubs for about 2.5 months, and the kittens stay with her until 4.5–5 months.

Wild cats do not like publicity, infrequently throws up to researchers Interesting Facts and the Amur cat - Amur kittens are an exception. The secret of their upbringing has long been known to zoologists: the fact is that the father is busy with the kids (teaches, trains, encourages, punishes) a little more often than the mother cat.

In Primorye they say: “Severe winter means wait for the cat”

Winter is the most difficult period in the life of these wild cats. Having thin and short paws - this can be seen even from the photo - the Amur cat practically cannot move through deep loose snow. It only saves us. If it is not there, the animals do not have the opportunity to hunt and starve for weeks.

Rescues the stock of fat, which the Amur cat stocks up in advance in the fall. With an average weight of 4 kg, the animal can increase the weight to 8–9 kg, significantly changing in appearance, almost turning into a fur ball.

The director of the Lazovsky Reserve, Alexander Laptev, tells interesting facts: the Amur forest cat, it turns out, is especially snowy winters operates in rural chicken coops, where it feeds on poultry - chickens, ducks. In particular, such cases became more frequent in March 2010, when it was very difficult for Amur cats to feed themselves due to heavy snowfalls.

“For humans, the Far Eastern forest cat is not dangerous. As a rule, when people approach, he runs away,” says Alexander Laptev. As soon as the first warm weather sets in and the snow begins to melt, the Far Eastern cats' forays into the villages cease.

Is it possible to buy an Amur cat?

It is important not to confuse the Far Eastern (Amur) leopard cat with the Bengal cat, information about which you can find on the websites of people involved in crossing various kinds wild cats for profit. These "breeders" will tell you about the charms of such pets, but you should not believe them. There are also people who sell taiga cats.

But even if you really like the Amur cat, buying it from your hands is a bad idea. But the main thing is not even the price (the Amur cat and the leopard cat are expensive, but even more expensive), but something else. We think any sane person understands that the place of wild cats is in natural environment their habitat, and from a person they need only a place under the sun, peace and cleanliness of the environment.

What threatens the Far Eastern predator?

The Amur forest cat is considered a rare animal, the number of which is not known. The most serious reason affecting the decrease in the population is considered economic activity people and, as a result, a decrease in the protective properties of biotopes. In addition, the presence of stray dogs and the systematic burning of vegetation are also important. The Far Eastern Amur cat is difficult to adapt to changes in natural landscapes introduced by human activity.

This is very sad, because the Amur cat, whose photos cannot even convey all the beauty and charm of this predator, is a unique animal. By the way, the Bank of Russia depicted the Amur forest cat on a silver coin issued in the Red Book series in 2004.

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