Reed cat | Facts & Information

# Reed cat | Facts & Information

Reed cat | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Reed cat

The Reed cat (Felis chaus) belongs to the genus Felis, family Felidae. It is a medium-sized cat native to Asia. Its range extends from southern China to Central Asia. In India it is the most widespread and common.

Subspecies:

Read More on Reed cat
Reed Cat

Reed cat

The Reed Cat, also known by its scientific name Felis chaus, is a species native to aquatic and wetland areas in Africa, Asia, and Europe. This fascinating animal has adapted perfectly to life in reed beds, marshy areas, and clusters of reeds. With its incredible appearance and specific habits, the Reed Cat represents an interesting subject of study for researchers around the world.

One impressive characteristic of this species is its size. The Reed Cat is actually one of the largest species of cats, reaching a length of approximately 90 cm and weighing up to 15 kg. Its elongated and muscular body contributes to its adaptation to the surrounding environment, while its sharp ears and large eyes allow it to detect any movement nearby.

Reed Cats have brown fur, which perfectly camouflages them in their natural habitat. This color provides them with an advantage in hunting prey, as it allows them to hide among the reed stems and attack by surprise. Additionally, the fur of Reed Cats is water-resistant, making them feel comfortable even in the wettest environments.

These animals are agile and intelligent hunters, specialized in catching rodents and small animals. With the help of their long legs and sharp claws, Reed Cats can run quickly and catch their prey within seconds. They also use hunting techniques such as leaps and high jumps to surprise their victims.

However, Reed Cats are not only hunters. They also have certain social habits and are capable of forming close bonds between group members. Usually, they are solitary and territorial animals, but during the breeding season, they can meet and form small temporary groups. It is during this period that mating takes place and females raise their offspring.

The reproductive rate of Reed Cats is quite high, with a female being able to give birth to up to six cubs at once, in a den built in the middle of reed bushes. The cubs are initially covered in fluffy fur, and in the first weeks of life, they depend on their mother's protection and nourishment. They gradually learn hunting skills and survival abilities from their parents to live independently in adulthood.

Due to their specific habitat and adapted lifestyle, Reed Cats often remain hidden and difficult to observe. This is one of the reasons why this species is poorly studied and often hard to find. Researchers and conservationists make significant efforts to better understand the biology and ecology of this species, but many of the mysteries surrounding the Reed Cat still remain undisclosed.

In conclusion, the Reed Cat represents a beautiful and enigmatic species of cats adapted to life in aquatic and marshy areas. These intelligent and agile animals have developed and survived in a challenging environment, using their hunting instincts and abilities aided by their specialized anatomies. However, many aspects of their lives still remain undisclosed, and extensive research is needed to fully understand them. The Reed Cat remains a mysterious species, with many secrets yet to be revealed.

890

Animals

36

Species

8

Languages

32

Facts

Origin

Because of the small tuft of hair on the ear it is also called the jungle Lynx, although the species is not part of the genus Lynx.

It can be found in Egypt, Asia, Sri Lanka and India. In India it has adapted best, it can be seen even in the most arid steppes. Prefers wetlands with tall stuff where it can hide usor.De he also likes reeds on the banks of rivers. It does not adapt well to cold climates. Despite adapting to Swampy and stuffy areas you don't find it in tropical forests. It has been seen from sea level to altitudes of over 2500 meters on the Himalayan mountains.

They usually prefer lowlands. They also frequent open areas and often appear near people's homes in search of food.

Although the population is declining it is not yet extinct. Due to the large area on which the territory of this cat is spread, there have been geographical variations. Although evidence of cat mummies has been found in ancient Egypt, the stuff cat was never domesticated. It may have been attempted to domesticate her for rodent control.

Today the number of stuff Cats is declining due to habitat destruction and human intervention. Agricultural areas have been created on their territory and people hunt or poison them to get rid of them. In Afghanistan they are considered rare and endangered.

At the moment the stuff cat (jungle cat) is the most numerous species of the genus Felis, but unfortunately the number is decreasing.

The stuff cat is also known as Swamp Lynx, Swamp Cat, Reed Cat, Jungle Cat.

Feed the Reed cat

It feeds on reptiles (turtles), birds, snakes, fish and amphibians. They hunt in swamps, on the banks of rivers and on the shores.

It also feeds on rodents (squirrels), hares and young Wild Boars.

Cats near human dwellings feed mainly on chickens and ducks. Those near rivers with fish then sink to shallow depths.

Appearance Reed cat

The Reed cat has a length of 50-94cm, a tail of 20-30cm, a height of 35cm and a weight of 5-15kg. Due to the large territory it occupies, on the surface of several countries, several types of fur color of subspecies are distinguished: yellow-gray, reddish-brown or brownish-gray. The weight also varies depending on the territory. Notice the big difference. In puppies you can see vertical stripes that disappear once the cat becomes an adult.

Females are slightly smaller than males. The legs are quite long in relation to the body, and the face is elongated. The ears are large. At the tip of the tail it has several rings of dark color.

It is the largest species in the genus Felis. It has a tuft of hair on its ears and a relatively short tail. Because of the tuft of hair on the ears and the short tail it is often likened, confused and sometimes called straight shaven.

The head is somewhat rounder than in other cat species. The ears are relatively long and wide at the base. In winter the fur tends to turn grey. The paw print is 6x5cm.

It has equal foot claws which gives it an advantage when climbing and descending from trees. It can go down as easily as it goes up.

Felis chaus chaus

Felis chaus affinis (Gray, 1830) − in the Himalayan region from Kashmir and Nepal to Sikkim and Yunnan.

Felis chaus kutas (Pearson, 1832) − from Bengal to Kutch.

Felis chaus nilotica (De Winton, 1898) − Egypt.

Felis chaus furax (De Winton, 1898) − Palestine, southern Syria and Iraq.

Felis chaus maimanah (Zukowsky, 1914) − northern Afghanistan and southern Amu Darya River.

Felis chaus fulvidina (Thomas, 1929) − in Southeast Asia from Myanmar and Thailand to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Felis chaus prateri (Pocock, 1939) - India and Sindh

Felis chaus kelaarti (Pocock, 1939) − Sri Lanka and southern India, South of the Kistna River.

Felis chaus oxiana (Heptner, 1969) − to the right of Amu Darya River, Vakhsh River to Gissar Valley.

Behavior Reed cat

The stuff cat is a solitary animal. They seek shelter in abandoned burrows, hollows, among the rocks in the swamp or in areas with reeds very often. The most active period is the day. The night is less common.

In cold periods, stay in the sun, taking Sun Baths to keep warm. Every day I walk 3 – 6km depending on the availability of food. The territory is marked with urine and its own smell.

Although he spends much of his time on earth, he can climb trees easily. When they are hunting they use all their senses, but especially their sight, hearing and smell. Running is done in zig zag.

Go through rivers and ponds to lose track of enemies such as humans, dogs and other animals. They are difficult to tame, even in captivity from an early age.

Like most felines the preferred way of hunting is to chase and ambush prey. It hides in papuris, in tall grass or behind bushes. It is an energetic cat that jumps after passing birds in low flight. It can run at speeds of over 30km / h and rarely pursues prey that escapes the first attack.

The main competitors are the Jackal and the forest cat. They are chased by crocodiles, bears, wolves and other large felines like tigers. When the cat feels threatened by the stuff it lets out smaller roars, a thing out of the ordinary for a cat. She has been seen swimming distances of 1.5 km only once.

There have been cases when a stuff cat attacks people passing on its territory near it. In many cases they jump on the target and then retreat if the target is too high. Attacks are not dangerous to humans, do not require medical care.

Breeding Reed cat

Females become sexually mature at about one year of age. Estrus lasts from January to mid-April. In Turkmenistan mating takes place in January and February. The female gives birth to 3-5 Cubs.

Sometimes if she has enough food she has two births a year. The gestation period lasts 60-70 days. For an animal of its size the gestation period is quite small.

Before birth, the female prepares the place (Burrow, hollow, bed of greenery in papuris, etc.).

At birth, puppies weigh between 50 and 150 grams. They are smaller in the wild than in captivity. They are born blind and dependent on their mother. Eyes begin to open after two weeks. They begin to walk after 3-4 weeks and are weaned at the age of 3 months.

Males do not participate in the upbringing of offspring, but in captivity they showed attention and protection to them. Puppies start hunting after six months and become independent from the age of nine months.

If in captivity the average age of the stuff cat is 10-12 years, in the wild there were found specimens that reached 20 years.

#Photo Gallery of Reed Cat

More Reed Cat images!

Uncover fascinating facts about Reed cat - from its behavior to habitat and diet. Explore our comprehensive guide to learn more!

Reed cat | Facts & InformationReed Cat | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Reed Cat