Sand cat | Facts & Information

# Sand cat | Facts & Information

Sand cat | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Sand cat

The sand cat belongs to the order Cranivora and the family Felidae. This species is quite rare, the number of specimens is very small, therefore it is considered in danger of extinction.

Subspecies:

Sand cat

The Sand Cat is a fascinating animal that lives in arid and desert regions of North and East Africa. It is also known by its scientific name, Felis margarita, and belongs to the felid family, being related to the domestic cat.

Although the Sand Cat is not very well-known, this wild animal has impressive characteristics and adapts perfectly to its environment. It is a medium-sized animal, measuring approximately 50-80 centimeters in length and weighing between 2 and 7 kilograms. Its body is covered with a dense, sandy-colored fur that blends perfectly into its surroundings, making it almost invisible among the sand dunes.

The Sand Cat has long and pointed ears, equipped with brushes on the tips, which act as a sound elevation system, helping the animal to hear sounds from long distances. It also has thicker fur on its tail, helping it protect its body from the desert heat.

One of the remarkable characteristics of the Sand Cat is its ability to withstand thirst. It can survive very well even without water, adapting to its environment. The Sand Cat obtains a large part of its water needs from the food it consumes, which mainly consists of small rodents, invertebrates, and small birds.

It is an excellent hunter and uses specific strategies to obtain food. The Sand Cat moves silently along the sand dunes, using the paths left by rodents or other animals. When it detects prey, it approaches very slowly and tactically to avoid scaring it. Then, it attacks with a quick and precise strike, using its sharp claws and powerful canines.

The behavior of the Sand Cat is generally solitary, but they can also be found in small groups, especially during the breeding season. The female usually gives birth to 2 or 3 cubs, which she protects fiercely. The cubs are nursed with mother's milk for about two months, after which they gradually start consuming solid food.

The population of Sand Cats is declining, threatened by the loss of their habitat and illegal poaching. The sands where they come from have started to be threatened by deforestation and urbanization, and these environmental changes directly affect this wild animal. Additionally, Sand Cats are hunted for their fur and to be kept as exotic pets.

Therefore, it is important to raise awareness about the importance of protecting this animal and the ecosystems in which it lives. The Sand Cat brings uniqueness and diversity to the wild world and deserves to be appreciated and protected.

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Origin

Felis margarita or sand cat is a wild, small animal that can be found in African and Asian deserts. It was not named the desert cat because this name is attributed to the species Felis silvestris lybica, another African wild cat, closely related to the sand cat.

Felis margarita lives in extremely arid areas of the desert: the Sahara, the Arabian desert or the deserts of Iran and Pakistan.

The decline of the prey population, as well as the destruction of the natural habitat by humans, hunting and marketing of sand cats are some factors that have led to the drastic decline in the population.

Interesting about this feline is its ability to adapt to harsh conditions, to withstand temperatures that can reach plus 50 degrees during the day and those near or just below the freezing point at night.

Sand cat food

It is very well adapted to environmental conditions, extracting its water needs from food. The capture of Prey is facilitated by the extremely sensitive ears of the animal.

They are large, triangular in shape and can detect the noises produced by animals both on the surface and below the sand.

It feeds on a variety of desert creatures: rodents, rabbits, birds, reptiles and some arthropods. They most often consume small rodents, although in Arabia, Desert Reptiles, such as lizards of the species Scincus officinalis, are an important source of food for these prey animals and can be pulled out of the sand to the surface with rapid movements.

Due to the fact that there are very few sources of water in the environment in which it lives, the sand cat is forced to get all the water they need from its food, just as the black-footed cat in South Africa does. He goes hunting at night.

Appearance Sand Cat

The coat color varies from yellowish-brown to matte gray, with blurred stripes (these are more pronounced in the African subspecies), darker nunata, on the limbs and a few rings to near the black tip of the tail.

A reddish, dark line starts from the corner of the eyes and goes down to the cheek. These patterns on the cat's fur vary among the six subspecies.

It has a rather small and slightly stocky body, with a length of 45-67 cm and a weight of 1.5-3.5 kg. Compared to the size of the body, the head is strikingly large and the ears developed and sharp. The tail is 28-35 cm long and has some black and reddish markings.

The pads of the feet are covered with long hairs, which allows the cat to move easily on the quicksand of the environment in which it lives, while protecting the paws from the high temperature of the sand.

The sand cat can survive at temperatures ranging from -5gr C (23 F) to 52gr C (126 f).

Felis margarita margarita (Loche 1858)C G

Felis margarita thinobius (Ognev 1926)C G

Felis margarita meinertzhageni (Pocock 1938)i c g

Felis margarita airensis (Pocock 1938)i c g

Felis margarita scheffeli (Hemmer, 1974)i c g

Felis margarita harrisoni (Hemmer, Grubb and Groves, 1976)i c g

Behavior Sand Cat

Hunting takes place only at night, the cat becoming active at dusk, after spending the whole day in a vision or in a shelter, built under bushes or under rocks.

It leads a solitary life, prefers arid, desert and sandy areas, where if temperatures become very difficult to bear it hides in abandoned burrows of gerbils, foxes or other rodents.

She can survive for months without water, hydrating herself only with the liquids she takes from the food she consumes. It searches for food at night when it hunts insects, lizards, snakes, rodents and birds.

It is used to sit low on the ground, and when it perceives the prey with its large ears near it, it jumps on it and catches it, or digs with its claws in the sand, if it is not on the surface.

They are not territorial animals, they often travel distances of 8 km in search of their favorite food. Their main natural enemies are birds of prey, snakes and Wolves.

Breeding Sand Cat

During the mating season, they make specific sounds (similar to domestic cats) of calling the partner.

Usually, the female gives birth to 2-3 Cubs, after a gestation period of 66 days. Blind and helpless newborns weigh between 39 and 80 grams immediately after birth and grow rapidly, reaching sexual maturity at 14 months of age.

They have at birth the body covered with have a coat of fur with Soft Thread, light yellowish color. They grow quite quickly, are weaned to a month, and some reach maturity at the age of 5 months.

In captivity, the life expectancy of this mammal is 13 years.

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Sand cat | Facts & InformationSand Cat | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Sand Cat