Asian Leopard Cat

There are 37 species of wild cats within the world, 30 of which are regarded as little wild cats. The much more well-known species include the bobcat, lynx, margay, ocelot, and the wild cat. There are also several species not so nicely know such as the sand cat, fishing cat, pampas cat, Geoffrey’s cat, Pallas’ cat. Of the little cats the leopard cat is probably one of the most common and widespread, occurring throughout a lot of Southern and Eastern Asia, including the Philippines and Indonesia. Most authorities do not think about the leopard cat in imminent danger of extinction but the destruction of habitat by rapidly expanding human population, forest clear cutting, slash and burn, and soil erosion, remains a constant threat to wild cats as they’re forced into smaller and smaller areas in which to live. Within the US, you will find approximately 27 leopard cats in zoos and an unknown number owned by private citizens.

Distribution

Despite its name, the Asian Leopard Cat is not restricted to Southern Asia, but can be found across India, via China, Korea and also the Soviet Far East. It can also be found on islands like Sumatra, Philippines, Taiwan, Borneo, Bali and Java. Naturally, the widespread habitat of the Asian Leopard has led to many various names, such as the Javan cat, Wagati cat, Chinese cat or “money cat”, so known as simply because the spots resembled Chinese coins. Of the small cats, Felis bengalensis is most likely one of the most typical and widespread, and most authorities don’t consider it to be in imminent danger of extinction. Nevertheless, the destruction of its habitat by rapidly expanding human populations, deforestation, farming, and soil erosion, all remain threats to the wild cat populations. The Asian Leopard Cat has therefore been placed on Appendix II of the CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and its trade is regulated as an endangered species.

Asian Leopard Cats are generally solitary and nocturnal in behavior and prefer brush and forest as their habitat. They make their dens in hollow trees, little caves or under large roots and, living in a wide variety of environments, have an unusually wide variety of abilities. For instance, they often live near water and are accomplished swimmers and fishers. This legacy lives on in the Bengal’s liking for playing in water, and pawing at aquariums! Equally, they are extremely agile climbers and at home within the trees, hunting for birds, squirrels, tree shrews along with other prey. Indeed you will find some reports of tropical Leopard Cats being totally tree dwelling in their nature. As a rule, they don’t make good pets, being solitary and reclusive, rarely allowing humans to touch or handle them. They are carnivorous hunters and could represent a threat to kids or other pets. Probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of the leopard cat’s behavior is, it’s reputation for ferocity and it’s inability to be domesticated. The Asian leopard cat has evolved as an efficient small predator that occupies a special niche wherein it lives and reproduces in what’s often a hostile world. Just simply because it does not settle effortlessly into our tame and domesticated world ought to not be a criteria with which we judge an animal “mean”. In Asia, some villagers are reported as keeping leopard cats around to hunt mice. There have been many reports of the leopard cats becoming very friendly and following their owners around the house. However there has also been stories of leopard cats, bottle raised from birth, that revert to their wild and shy temperaments upon maturity, to realize that they are not an easily domesticated animal. Perhaps that is as it should be. Many people have neither the temperament nor the facilities to keep wild cats and most of these cats are better off in their wild homes. I believe that the Bengal is the ideal answer to satisfy the require in many of us to live with exotic spotted cats. Although understanding the leopard cat and it is behavior, might go a lengthy way to helping us comprehend our Bengals, perhaps the reverse is also accurate. Perhaps in living with and understanding our Bengals, we will come to appreciate and care about the future of the leopard cat and it’s type, who are relying on our good will for their extremely survival in the lands they inhabit.The Asian leopard cats are solitary even though their territories will frequently overlap. They have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years.