African Golden Cat

Habitat & Ecology

This is Africa’s only forest dependent species of wildcat. The cat’s primary habitat is moist equatorial forest and occasionally savanna on the edge of the forest. Relatively little is known about this wildcat. This might be the least understood of all wild cats. In one survey of African golden cat scats (feces) in the Ituri forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo prey was made up of 70% rodents. As the habitat of this cat is shared with that of the leopard the diets overlap but this cat’s diet is more dependent on birds and rodents. The prey generally is assessed as follows (in order of preference):

  • Rodents (70%) including swamp rats – see picture below
  • Squirrels (62%)
  • Medium sized antelopes (33%)
  • Small antelope (25%)
  • Birds (these are plucked before being eaten), small monkeys, the tree hyrax,
  • Domestic livestock
  • Bats (once seen being hunted)

Development

Time frameEvent (observed in captivity1
New born kittensWeigh 180-235 grams
Day 6Eyes open
Day 10Standing (captive observation of 1 female)
Day 16Climbed into nest box
Day 19Jumping attempt onto tree
Day 40Chewing meat
Twelve weeksFemale weighed 2.5 kg and male 2.9 kg
11monthsFemale came into estrus (in heat) and showed signs of being sexually mature
18monthsMale became father of first litter
12 yearsLongest life of African golden cat in captivity recorded as at 2002

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